The Legend of Zelda: The Eye of Truth
by 1996isover
Summary: Five months after Ganondorf's death, Link is brought back into the life as the Hero, when the Sages forewarn him about approaching darkness from the Realm of Twilight. After having been lost in his world, during that five-month period of nothingness, he is told by multiple people in his quest of his importance as Hero. But of everything he does, it benefits the antagonist group.


PROLOGUE

**The Legend of Zelda: The Eye of Truth**

by Robert Tober (writer) and Raphaëlle Zicat-C. (co-designer)

**PROLOGUE**

_A cutscene ensues._

_A brief gust of air cause a chain reaction of individual strands of grass to shimmer and dance, alongside a faint, white streak in the direction of the forward-blowing wind. The colourful birds, each bearing beautiful plumage in either pure red, blue, or amber, chirp and fly upward to listen to the echoing sounds of the lyre. As the singing birds fly higher, the rising star, illuminating the world, curves further up; letting the fiery sky dissipate into its normal, blue glow. A gleaming statue representing Hylia, goddess of the surface, stands erect in the grasslands – directly in front of a sacred temple. The birds continue to chirp and soar skyward. Eventually, they reach the only platform near the top. A young boy—perhaps a young man, based on his age—lay there asleep on the platform. He is robed in green, with his long, curved hat that flickers in the wind. The red, blue, and amber-colour birds rest on his tunic as he sleeps. A golden-hair girl, wearing a long, white dress, stands next to him. She strums the lyre, playing a traditional song from their home above the dissipated clouds, and awaits for Link, the Hero, to wake up. A brief amount of time later, his eyes open, albeit very slowly, and he begins to stretch his arms. The birds scatter in various different directions across the sky. And as Zelda puts her lyre down, giggling at sleepyhead Link, a tremor from beneath begins. The statue rumbles. Cracks and fissures appear, and create slender pathways to the ground below. A dark purple circle then surround the statue. It grows bigger and bigger, and the earthquake grows more and more devastating. Inside the barren temple are the other knights and knights-to-be, those who used to live above the clouds. Zelda's father is the only one awake, up until the shaking from the tremor awake them all. The mossy entrance to the sacred Master Sword remains sealed in time by the steel sliding doors. The sword had been sealed in time for quite a while since the eradication of the demon king, Demise. Literally, in time. Two hundred years pass. The doors remain locked. An event, similarly to in the past, had caused the doors to open upon an abrupt end of prosperity, but then seal again once peace had been restored, and the sword had been returned to its proper pedestal – at the __**Temple of Time**__. Here, alongside the Spiritual Stones—the Kokiri Emerald, the Goron Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire, all of which had been encased and protected in glass—stands a different Princess Zelda with her lyre. _

_She is the second descendant from the one in the past. She strums the Song of Time as she awaits Link's return from the lost world of Termina. He had embarked on his final adventure. Final – because he never returned. He had forgotten his way home upon return through the Lost Woods. Zelda uses her Triforce of Wisdom to transform into her alternate Sheikah form, and remain protected, safe, and secure. Through time, even one-hundred more years after, the Temple had been shattered; obliterated; destroyed. Nobody knew how. Only a door through time remained. The entire area, including the door itself, remains protected by mossy stone guardians. This location, leading here through the Sacred Grove, expands into a giant forest with tall trees, and moss resting along the dead tree trunks. Only philosophers of Hyrule, the few of them in the land, question the evolution of their world. So far, only two people had entered through the door. Link, and Midna, the Twilight Princess. However, when they travelled through, they didn't enter the proper past, where Sheik awaited the Link of her time. Instead, they entered a labyrinth—an extension of the Temple—bearing the same name, about fifty years into the past, rather than the full hundred. Hyrule had transformed a lot over this 5-month period of time. And the Six Sages of the land (since one had been killed by the Great King of Evil, Ganondorf)—six including Princess Zelda—have been sensing danger on the horizon. The sword of evil's bane seems to have gone missing. It no longer resides in the protected, distant region of the forest. Instead, it resides in the past with Sheik. Nobody knows of this, but the main Five Sages themselves. Link needs to be briefed and entrained on his next adventure._

PRESS START

**ACT I – Consultation**

_An interactive cutscene ensues._

_**Hyrule Castle**__ had been destroyed nearly five months ago. After a few weeks had passed, and the people of the land had finally decided peace and prosperity had returned, construction began to build anew. After those five months had passed, the castle still had not finished completion. Though the giant, main structures of the castle—the pillars, the arches, and the tall towers—are complete as a basis, a certain lack of refine and detail is still missing. Thanks to the endless rain that poured along the courtyard of the castle during Ganondorf's reign, flowers and trees blossomed, and gave beautiful, bright colours to the gray and light blue structure. Here, along the courtyard, stood rather tall cherry trees, orange trees, pear trees, and apple trees. Princess Zelda is happy enough to share the fruit with people who needed something to eat, or friends she was close with – friends she still actually called "friends". Guards stand outside the entrance to protect the area from unwanted visitors. But this is not Zelda's whereabouts at the moment. The citizens of __**Hyrule Castle Town**__ murmur and gossip about the Royal Family; about Zelda, and the aftermath of Ganondorf's actions. On the other side of the spectrum, Link has changed quite a bit overtime. He has become lost in the little world of his; entering some sort of unknown area between his stationary life, on the pastures with the goats, and his travelling life, where he would save people from danger. A large crowd can be heard all across Castle Town. People shout and chant and clamour. A group of people huddle around a straw hut in town, where Link sat. __**Syrup's Potion Shop**__. He is in the middle of chugging down a large, cylindrical pitcher of Red Potion. The bright red liquid pours delicately out of the pitcher, and into his mouth, where it travels down his throat. It warms his soul with its hearty goodness. But this is not a pleasurable time for Link. This is a mere simple way to waste some time. _

_As he slams a Rupee worth twenty onto the table, ready to have another, a small tap touches Link's left shoulder. A Hyrulean Guard. Link turns his head. The guard takes out an envelope from his chest pocket. He is surprised to see Link's somewhat-scruffy face. "What happened to him", the guard thinks in his head. Link takes the letter, and then returns to his drink. Link begins ripping open the envelope with his fingers. The paper, along the opening of the envelope, has been scratched and torn open. Upon having opened the flap, Link turns his head. This is the first time he notices the cobblestone ground since his arrival. Many people have already fled from the hut, including the guard. He sees Hylians, and Gorons, and Zora, and a plethora of shops and stores that the town has to offer. The bustling hut had decreased in volume since the people had left. Link turns his head back to the envelope, for he had continued to open it as he gazed at his surroundings. While taking another sip of his drink, he withdraws the letter, with an unhappy; displeased; disgruntled look on his face. He unfolds the letter, and reads the message from Princess Zelda herself. _

"_Link, come to Telma's Bar. I need to speak with you. And… I miss you. –Zelda."_

_He stands up, and the camera pans around to angled third-person view—showcasing more of his right side—the game officially begins; the player is given control._

Link walked around Castle Town. He passed by several stores and shops—the **Castle Town Shop District**—until he finally arrived at Telma's Bar, hidden away at the bottom of the stairs, off to the side, near the southernmost entrance into town. As he walked down the set of stairs, the music got louder and louder. The door remained slightly open, and the incandescent lights poured out through the crevice. Link walked up to the door, where he was greeted by two guards with swords protecting the entrance. _"Ah, Link! You may enter"_, one of them said, then stepped out of the way, with their swords held skyward and erect. Link walked in. As the door closed behind them, the guards returned to their original position. Link gazed around the room in search of the princess. The Resistance, the philosophers that usually sat at the table far at the back, were not present. The tables to the left were all empty. A person robed and hooded in black leaned against the blazing, crackling fireplace. This was the only person in the bar. Telma must have been in the back room. Link walked up to the person. He noticed the white Sheikah symbol embedded on the back of the robe. Immediately, he knew this was Zelda, for he had seen her like this before.

_A cutscene ensues._

_He gently caresses her back. The touch of felt, moving in his hand, reminds him of how much he had truly missed the princess. But this bit of sadness is brief. Pale arms and hands emerge from the sleeves. They rise upward, and gently touch the tip of the hood. Ever so slowly, the hood slides down the back of her head, and remains around the base of her neck. The light brown hair flourishes and shimmers, for it is finally made free and loose. Link's hand moves over to her rib cage, as she turns around. He stares at her gorgeous, beautiful face, and long, pointy ears. He then puts his hand down, and smiles ever so slightly; it is barely noticeable. Shocked to see how much Link had transformed, Zelda hugs Link tightly, and whispers in his ear, "What happened to you?!" Then, she begins to cry on his shoulder. Link holds the back of her head firmly with his left palm, while rubbing her back with his right. After a moment, she stops, lifts her head back up, and stares Link in the eyes. They hold hands as she speaks._

Zelda – It's been so long! You – changed a lot!

_She caresses the line under his right eye._

Zelda – You look like you haven't slept in ages! Are you alright?

_He nods his head._

Zelda – I hope so. I don't think I could handle having the saviour of Hyrule be ill, or depressed, or just have something wrong with him.

_Pause._

Zelda – Can we go outside, Link? I need to tell you something important.

_Telma returns from the back room. _

Telma – Your Highness, has— Oh! There he is! Hi, sweetums! How are you doing?

_Link turns around, with a very timid smile on his face._

Telma – Oh, my! Princess, you wish to send him off on another adventure?

Zelda – Yes—

Telma – Looking like that? We should probably fix that!

_Link turns back to face Zelda. She grabs his chin, and looks at his scruffy beard._

Zelda – True, we can't have him play the part of the Hero with a face like this! Let's clean you up, O Chosen One.

_She giggles. _

_Fade to black._

_Link sits in a tall, comfy chair. Telma stands near the door back out to the bar. Zelda remains on her knees, next to Link. With a small blade and some foamy soap, Zelda slowly cleans the hair off Link's chin. She has already rid the cheeks of hair. Then, she begins sliding the blade, ever so slowly and carefully, up his neck. She remains super careful when she is near his throat. As each follicle of hair falls to the wooden ground, Princess Zelda chats. She has things to tell Link about; bring him up to speed on everything, since the death of Ganondorf. However, she does not want to speak of the present or near future here. She doesn't want to concern Telma nor The Resistance. Not for the time being, anyway. Zelda tells Link of a silence that overtook the land the first couple of months. The obliteration of Hyrule Castle caused nearly everybody to go silent. Ganondorf remained there in the fields for a while; standing tall, with his cape blowing in the wind. His skin had slowly turned pale, and blood had started to disperse from various points of his body. This was not a pretty sight in the fields of Hyrule. His horse had died from battle. His Triforce of Power had been expelled, and deactivated. It took months and months for people to return to their former, daily routines. Time continued on. Zelda finishes shaving Link. He looks young again; he looked the part. She stands up. Link follows shortly after. As Zelda begins to walk, the player is given control. "Follow Princess Zelda" is prompted on screen._

They walked out of the back room, around the bar, and headed out the door. Though the guards decided to follow, Zelda ordered otherwise. She wished to be left alone with Link. She knew they would be pointless, obedient dogs – no matter the case. Link led Zelda out of the bar by wrapping their arms together. They went up the stairs to the main pathway, and out the southern exit. The Hero and the Princess walked along the cobblestone ground. Though, because of the loud chatter throughout the town, the sound of Link's boots and Zelda's heels could not be heard. As they exited Castle Town, the chattering became a murmur. Link and Zelda walked down a long, wooden drawbridge. The further they walked, the more silent the world around them became. They started to hear more sounds of beauty instead. Each footstep they made broke the silence. Each time a shoe had lifted off the ground, a creaking sound played. The linked chains shimmered and shook as they walked. Beneath them was a moat. A stream of water flowed around Hyrule Castle Town. Fish of different size, colour, and form swam through. A gentle breeze caused the trees to delicately dance, and have yellow and red leaves descend to the earth ever so slowly. Summer was transitioning into fall. Most of the leaves were still green; only few had already changed in their pigmentation. The grass had been recently mowed, and as such, there was nothing on the ground to shimmer. Other than the colourful flowers, surrounding the Castle Town structure, of course. Some stone pavement, directly ahead of the town exit's staircase down to the mowed grass, led straight outward to Hyrule Field. Though this was not the direction where Zelda wanted to go. They walked down the stairs of the Castle Town structure, and went in a rightward direction along the thin grass. _"Over here"_, Zelda said as she tugged on Link's arm. The roasting, scorching star shone directly on the backs of Link and Zelda's necks. It was a very hot day. They walked through the grass; over to the cliff at the edge – to the right of the southern exit out of Castle Town. They stood there, and gazed at the lake far below.

_An interactive discussion ensues._

Zelda – Beautiful view, isn't it? I like coming here sometimes to think; ponder; imagine. I did some thinking earlier today. Or was it imagining? Sometimes the things I imagine are so vivid and real that I wonder if it's foreshadow. …It _could be_ foreshadow.

_You okay?  
What about?  
It's so hot out!_

Zelda – …What? Oh. Yeah, I'm— I'm fine. Just something's bothering me right now.

_It's so hot out!_

Zelda – What?! Are you even listening to me?! I need to tell you something, so pay attention!

_What about?_

Zelda – In the back of my head, even a feeling tingling my spine, I sense something is not right. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I'm absolutely sure something is going to happen. But I can't risk leaving the castle. After Ganondorf, I'm frightened and worried something might happen to me, and the citizens of this land during my absence. I must ask you to go alone. Can I deliver you this task?

_-Sure! Anything for you!  
-I don't know…  
-Where am I to go?_

_Sure! Anything for you!_

Zelda (giggling) – Great! I knew I could count on you!

_I don't know…_

Zelda – Oh, c'mon! You've been living in a slump for five months! You need to get out, and return to your old life! Please? For me?

_Where am I to go?_

_Zelda raises her arm, and points at the faint pillars visible far in the sky, directly in front of Link._

Zelda – Off in the desert, you'll find the Sages. They reside at the **Mirror Chamber** atop the colosseum. They are wise, and sense far more of our lands' future than even the members of the Royal Family. They've lived a century, and have seen Ganondorf's reign twice. Visit them, and ask them if they have sensed anything. I cannot risk any more worrying and stomach aches. Please help me, Link. You're one of the few I can count on.

_Zelda and Link walk over toward a pile of red, yellow, and brown leaves along the walls of the town. She dusts them off, revealing an underground door. She opens it._

Zelda – I'll be underground when you find the answer. I'll be safe here.

_Pause._

Zelda – Cover the hatch before you go.

_She walks down the staircase, and closes the door behind her. Link collects two handfuls of leaves, piles them back on top of the door, and scatters them across until the door is covered. He stands back up. He raises his hand, and protects his vision. Link cannot stand the hot weather. He walks over to the cliff. The player is given control._

Link began to run straight aheaduntil he reached the edge, and dove several feet downward, until his body broke through the water, and caused a gigantic splash. It sizzled during the period Link remained under the water, and slowly stopped as he popped his head and neck out. He breathed heavily for a moment, and looked up at the ledge. He had travelled a far distance downward to reach **Lake Hylia**. He then breast stroked his way to the dark blue shrine off in the distance. As he pitter-pattered through the water, Link passed by a group of Zora. Two parents and their infant children. The father looked so mature, the mother looked so beautiful, and their three children looked so adorable. They usually swam through the lake around that time of the afternoon. Link swam through a patch of seaweed, which led to a small rock that stuck out of the water. He climbed up, and stood atop the rock to catch his breath. He had been swimming pretty quickly, and had only reached the halfway point to his destination. Once his energy finally returned, Link dove back into the water, and swam the rest of the way to the shrine. He climbed up the platform, which seemed to float along the lake, walked across the wooden bridge to Fyer, the owner of a launch cannon. Link planned on using it to get into the desert.

_An interactive cutscene and discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

_Fyer appears shocked to see a customer._

Fyer – Hmm? A customer?

_Link becomes more and more visible as he walks into the shade._

Fyer – Link? Link, is that you?! By golly, it is! It's good to see you, kid! It's been so long!

_His mood cheers up dramatically, and he pats Link on the right shoulder._

Fyer – So, what can I do 'fer ya?

_-Oasis Flight (10 Rupees)  
-Great Bridge of Hylia (Free)  
-What is this business again?_

_What is this business again?_

Fyer – What?! You mean to tell me in all these five months, you've forgotten about ol' Fyer and his spectacular cannon?! For you, I've two options rather than one. The Oasis Flight gets you up to the desert way up there…

_He points at the region high up behind him to Link's left._

Fyer – _…_and the regular flight takes you up to my good buddy, Falbi. He runs a minigame, which also lets you get back up to Hyrule Field up there…

_He points at the building high up behind him to Link's right_.

Fyer – Now which'll it be?

_Oasis Flight (10 Rupees)_

_Link pays the fee._

Fyer – Ha, ha! Thanks, kid! Now then, hop on into the cannon! I'll start crankin' up the cannon, and get you flying to the desert! Safe travels, buddy!

_Link heads inside. Fyer begins cranking the gear at a gradually increasing speed. The music plays quicker and quicker. Not before long, Link is launched into the air, and off toward __**Gerudo Desert**__. The player is given control upon landing._

Dust filled the air. A blustering blow of sand created an environment of invisibility. There was no clarity in this place. Link couldn't even see details in his footsteps or his hand movements as he walked. He progressed through the desert, and hoped he wouldn't encounter any enemies. But they were there. They could be heard. Despite the howling wind overpowering the audible sounds of the desert, snakes slithered through the sand. Many different creatures created thin pathways and crevices through the sand. All Link saw was beige, hovering particles overlaying his vision. As he kept walking, he, in fact, _did_ encounter creatures. The majority of them were Moldorm, which jumped out of the sand with their large, pointy teeth. They were ready to bite into Link's flesh until his leg would become a bloody mess.

Sometimes, Link would be lucky, and end up rolling or running his way through the sand; out of the way. Link remained weaponless and unprotected. Various sections of the desert led into a deep, dark abyss. Lost forever; never to return. He walked along the rocky edges, in a rightward direction. He could vaguely see the colosseum and the Sages' pillars through the blustering, sandy wind. Link continued east until he reached a staircase. Visibility slowly returned. He walked up the staircase, and reached the perimeter of the colosseum. The wind did not blow there. Link could see the details, finally. The entrance was directly in front of him. A staircase led far down, and deep inside. Down into **Arbiter's Grounds**. Link made each step downward. It got darker and darker. Only the torches, which were connected to the walls at both sides, gave off a bit of light to the area. Further and further down the staircase, Link walked. Voices echoed, though words could not be understood. They got progressively louder with each step forward. At the bottom of the staircase, about a dozen skulls stood. Link picked them up, and smashed them. They either left behind Rupees or hearts. Sometimes, nothing at all. A pane of glass glimmered high up along the wall to the right. Link tossed a few skulls to break the glass, which additionally hit a metal bar at the back of the inner shelf. Two objects fell down, and could be barely visible along the edge of the wall. Link ran up the wall—kicking his feet along the bricks as he went higher—and dangled himself on the edge. With his hand, he slid the two objects out of the inner shelf, and onto the floor. He jumped down and picked them up.

**YOU GOT THE STEEL BLADE!**_  
An ancient blade provided only to those brave enough to travel through the darkness, and trust their ears to hear the sounds of approaching danger. Traverse through Arbiter's Grounds only if you have courage. Otherwise, a sword and shield will not help you survive._

**YOU GOT THE STEEL SHIELD! **_  
A powerful, round-shaped shield from centuries ago. It is sturdy, and can be used to defend yourself from any kind of attack. Traverse through Arbiter's Grounds only if you have courage. Otherwise, a sword and shield will not help you survive._

Darkness enshrouded the entire colosseum. The faint shimmer of fire brought very little light to each and every room. At the end of the hall, after walking down the long staircase, was a door. Link crouched down, placed his fingers under the heavy door, and lifted it up above his head. Sand unglued itself from the base of the door, and rained back down to the ground. Link jogged past it once the door had been raised. It plunged back to the ground as soon as he let go, and had reached the proceeding room. Death seemed to be a large motif in this place. Skulls rested along the sandy floor. Some, known as Bubbles, had wings, instead of ears, with which to fly. Each room was black. A single torch faintly lightened the smaller rooms, two for the larger ones, and four for the giant chambers. Link eventually reached one such chamber. A short, but very wide, staircase led up to a square-shaped platform, with a giant steel door behind it. Four extinguished torches surrounded the platform. At the center of the square stood a deactivated **Iron Knuckle**, and in front of the staircase was a large skeletal enemy, a **Stalfos**, which glowed blue. Link walked closer. The door slammed behind him. The Stalfos smirked at Link, and chuckled. They battled. Following each attack the Stalfos made, Link performed a jump attack. Sometimes their weapons clashed, Link was successful. After several downward slashes from the air, the Stalfos' bones shattered to dust, and shimmered gently to the ground. A blue orb emerged, and floated up. It spiralled in an upward direction until it reached the torch on the left, nearest the staircase. Ghosts—**Poes**—lived inside the walls of Arbiter's Grounds.

Link had to defeat all of the skeletal creatures to unlock the barred, gigantic door – emblazoned with a golden Triforce logo. To the left was an inaccessible door. A stone pillar rested in front of it at an angle. To the right, however, the door was available. Link crossed the small pit of sand, and raised the door with his fingers. Inside the circular room—at the very middle—was a giant pillar, with a spiralling staircase leading up. However, directly in front of the door Link entered, there was another Stalfos for Link to battle. It, too, had a blue hue. Link fought it, and defeated it. He then proceeded up the staircase to the door above – directly above the door he had entered. The cracked pillar fell down as Link exited. The pillar was parallel to the slanted one across the room. They were both, then, identical. They both leaned against the chain ledge above. Link had to balance himself across the balcony. Its structure was certainly not designed for walking on. Slowly—carefully—he made his way across. At the center of the chain bridge was a chandelier. Its black material had been created to form the shape of a Triforce along the base. Eventually, he reached the other side, and entered the door there. He walked down the spiralling staircase, and encountered yet another Stalfos. Link battled it, and defeated it. Three blue flames brought light to the giant chamber. Link returned up the staircase, and out the door. However, once he reached the chandelier again, its chains caused it to smash to the ground, with Link in it. This at least gave him a shortcut back down. An awoken Iron Knuckle, also with a blue glow, awaited him. This large enemy, armoured in iron, had a giant axe to kill things with. Link attempted the same tactics from the Stalfos as with this new enemy. However, it took much longer to defeat. The Iron Knuckle could only be defeated once all the armour has come off, and the Poes' blue orb of light would be the only thing to remain. Link repetitively used his jump attack tactic until such a thing occurred. The blue orb spiralled up to the final torch on the right, nearest the door. A bright light flashed. When its luminance had faded away, a treasure chest revealed itself. Link opened it.

**YOU GOT THE HERO'S BOW!  
**_Having traversed across the land for centuries, this bow has been proven to be very useful in combat, and in puzzles. Standard quiver holds 20 Arrows._

The gigantic door opened very slowly. This door remained open, rather than slamming shut behind Link. The proceeding room was gigantic, and circular. The floor was entirely made of sand. Stalchildren—tiny, little skeletal creatures with spiky spears, which attack in large groups—were all over. Two staircases were on both sides of Link, toward the back. A tall platform stood there, in the shape of a crescent. Three torches rapidly extinguished upon entrance. It was Link's responsibility to remember the order in which the flames went out. He needed to relight them with the torch along the wall behind him. The order was _2-3-1_. Incorrectly re-lighting the leftmost torch would bring about a Stalfos at the center of the room. Incorrectly relighting the middle torch would bring about a pair of Moldorm. Incorrectly relighting the rightmost torch would bring about three Bubbles. Once Link correctly solved the puzzle, a large, circular platform emerged from the ground. A large, golden Triforce logo was imprinted on the center. The perimeter glowed lime green. _"Step forth"_, a voice echoed. Link listened, and walked to the middle of the platform. The ceiling split apart at the center, and the two halves then slid off to their respective sides. The room was even larger than anticipated. The platform then emerged from the earth, and soared high up. The platform was in fact a giant pillar. Link was taken to a much higher section of the room. All around him were giant glass portraits of the sages in their old forms, as well as a similar door to the one Link encountered earlier. The sand from below rose up, and leveled with the pillar. The Sages spoke to Link.

_An interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Sage of Fire – There is but one final trial for you to complete.

Sage of Shadow – We must test your courage to see whether or not you have the capacity to follow your fate.

Sage of Forest – An old friend will challenge you. Be prepared to face a phantom of the one you've already slain.

Sage of Spirit – Defeating him will grant you the consultation you so desire.

All – Good luck.

_All the glass portraits of the Sages in their former appearance turn to portraits of Phantom Ganon with his black, red-eyed horse. He emerges from the one directly in front of Link. _

"_EVIL SPIRIT FROM BEYOND: __**PHANTOM GANON**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

Phantom Ganon trotted on his horse in mid-air, to the painting of him, directly behind Link. He disappeared. Link pointed his Arrow straight at the paintings, and waited for the correct one to glow. Two glowed each time, though one shone brighter than the other. Link used his bow to launch an Arrow at the emerging Phantom Ganon. Succession would return him into the painting. Failure would cause Phantom Ganon, and his horse, to pop out of the painting, launch a ball of electricity at Link, and then trot inside another painting in mid-air. Link prepped another Arrow for the second round, and the third round, and the fourth round, and the final round. The horse disappeared after the fifth Arrow pierced Phantom Ganon's skull. He hovered in the air, with a large spear in his right hand. Electricity flowed through it. A ball of electricity was launched toward Link. He retorted with a swing from his Steel Blade. This continued back-and-forth, like a game of tennis, until either one of them received the jolt of electricity inside their body. Upon Phantom Ganon falling to the ground, Link ran up to him, and jump attacked him repetitively, until he got back up, and floated back into the air. This continued three more rounds.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Phantom Ganon hovers high into the air, turns completely black, and explodes into black particles upon flashing defeat. A __**Heart Container**__ descends to ground level. The gigantic door, emblazoned with a golden Triforce logo opens. An exact replica of the one encountered earlier. The player is given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

Link walked across the platform, the moat of sand, and out through the door. He had reached the top of the colosseum. As he walked around—going along the spiralling stone staircase—he noticed the scintillating sky above. The stars twinkled about in the dark night sky. Most of the day had passed during that long, arduous journey through the dark, eerie Arbiter's Grounds. And yet, despite its altitude, the desert was calm that night. The wind could not be heard. The sand did not blow. Only the quiet of Link's footsteps along the stone and the sand. As he climbed higher along the staircase, his breathing increased heavily. He grew weary. It was a steep climb up the colosseum. Link had not ventured anywhere like this recently. He had abruptly ended his life as the Hero after Ganondorf's fall. Or stand, based on how he had died. He continued to breathe heavily once he reached the top. The tall pillars surrounded him. They were several dozen feet taller than the colosseum itself. Atop each pillar stood the respective Sage. Except for the broken pillar, where the Sage of Water once stood. Ganondorf had killed her a little under a century ago. Pierced through the heart by her own blade of light, The Great King of Evil stole her blade, and used it in combat for the rest of his life. He had even held onto it during his banishment to the Realm of Twilight. That realm seemed to no longer exist to the people of Hyrule. Their princess, Midna, shattered the mirror, with which to access their world was no longer granted. Visiting the people there would be next to impossible. The Sages knew of Link's strong relationship with Midna. Sorrow filled their hearts when they thought of this. But, they did not grieve too much, for they knew Link would see her again. They knew he would travel there again. This would be part of their consultation with the Hero.

_A cutscene ensues._

Sage of Light – It would appear that you've completed the trial.

Sage of Fire – Your courage remains in your heart, even five months after Ganondorf's death.

Sage of Forest – We know not what happened to the Triforce after his departure.

Sage of Shadow – His fragment disappeared, and so, too, did yours and Zelda's.

Sage of Spirit – You haven't much time to seek the danger we sense.

Sage of Shadow – Off in the shadows, they lurk.

Sage of Light – Those that wish to bring Hyrule to darkness.

Sage of Fire – You, Hero—destined by fate—must venture into the Realm of Twilight. Do not let them escape their banishment.

Sage of Forest – We cannot open the path there in our time. You must travel to the past.

Sage of Spirit – Go. The Door of Time.

Sage of Shadow – You've travelled there before, you may recall.

Sage of Light – We will speak to you here – one-hundred years in the past.

Sage of Fire – As Darunia.

Sage of Forest – As Saria.

Sage of Shadow – As Impa.

Sage of Spirit – As Nabooru.

Sage of Light – As Rauru.

All – And Ruto, Sage of Water.

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT II – Twilight**

As daylight filled the desert in the morning, Link was on his way back down to Lake Hylia. He had rested in the Mirror Chamber during the night. With his energy back in his soul, Link leaped from the edge of Gerudo Desert, and dove straight into Lake Hylia. His body and his Green Tunic—refreshed and hydrated—broke the morning silence. The sunrise brought a beautiful orange and yellow glow to the world. Link breast stroked through the water, and enjoyed the cool water to begin a nice, mildly warm day. He made it to a mossy platform to stand himself on, and hop over to a main hunk of rock further on. It was impossible to climb on the main platform. As he stood up, a nice, refreshing fall breeze made his damp clothing dry a bit quicker than usual. The orange leaves, far in the distance, followed the wind. As they danced in the bright sky, they eventually made their way onto the lake, and rested there. Link walked along the grass until he reached the wooden platform; leading to Fyer and his cannon. He cut any long strands of grass with his sword, and collected any possible Rupees that emerged. The wooden bridge squeaked as he walked across it. Link started walking slowly; quietly. He did not wish to disturb the beautiful morning silence. Upon arrival at the cannon, Fyer was just waking up. He had subconsciously heard the squeaking in the back of his head as he slept. As he blinked his eyes several times, he was shocked to notice Link had returned from the desert. He chuckled, and stood up from his small bed. As he walked around, he tapped his cannon with his left hand.

_An interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Fyer – Morning, Link! How was the desert? I assume you want to make your way home, now?

_He laughs._

_-Great Bridge of Hylia (Free)  
Never mind._

Fyer – What? You changed your mind? Ah, alright, then. Keep exploring the lake, if that's what you like.

_Great Bridge of Hylia (Free)_

Fyer – Alright, in you go!

_Link goes inside. Fyer starts cranking the gear, and then watches as Link goes flying up to Falbi's Flight-by-Fowl minigame, and exits to __**Hyrule Field**__, which is shown to indicate access to anywhere, despite lack of equipment. The player is then given control. _

Link went into his pockets to search for his Horse Call, a woodwind instrument forged by childhood friend, Ilia, to call upon Epona, Link's beautiful trusty horse. She came running. Link climbed on, and galloped his way southwest; to the forest. As the shining star brightened the sky over Hyrule Field, Link and Epona travelled across the grasslands, leaped over brick and stone, and trampled on small insects and enemies. A group of Bokoblins—blue, human-sized goblins with brooms for weapons—circled around a rather large hunk of rock, not too far from the entrance to **Faron Woods**. Link dismounted from his horse, and ran over. Upon closer inspection, the rock was in fact a Goron. Link took his sword out of its sheath, and slashed them all dead. The Goron, curled up—his defense mechanism—, suddenly got up when he finally heard a silence. The Bokoblins could no longer make a sound, for Link had killed them all. The Goron gazed around, and noticed his saviour.

Goron – Brother, you saved me! Hey, listen: I was about to travel over to a cave nearby. This cave has a little hot spring! I was told there was also some sort of treasure inside! Since you helped me, I might be willing to give it to you! Follow me!

As the Goron rolled off to the large rocky mountain—more so a giant hill than a mountain—Link quickly got back on Epona, and followed him at a very rapid pace. The Goron rolled very quickly, due to his eagerness. His sturdy structure shattered an entrance through the rocks. He uncurled, and walked inside. Link arrived shortly thereafter, and dismounted. The hot spring was much further down. It was a round indent into the ground, and the water seemed to shine gold from above. However, he could not dive so easily down there. A group of Bokoblin Archers stood across on another rocky ledge directly across from Link and the Goron. They each wielded a bow, with Arrows of fire at their disposal. Link took out his Hero's Bow, and launched an Arrow at each of them. The leader, which had a horn attached to its buckle, called in more Bokoblins. Once they were all dead, Link walked back until he was nearly out of the cave, and then sprinted to make a successful dive into the hot spring. The water made a very large splash upon impact. The golden light was merely a mirage. The water was clear. No surprises. With each movement Link made in the water, the entire cave echoed. The sound of splashing, moving water could be heard from all sides of the walls. Directly in front of him stood a ladder. Link made his way out of the water, and climbed his way up. He reached the cliff where the archers had previously perched. There was a path further ahead. It seemed invisible from the side that Link had entered from. It was dark and narrow. It had no exit – but a treasure chest. Link walked up to it, and opened it.

**YOU GOT THE Bomb BAG!  
**_This upgradeable satchel can fit up to 20 Bombs inside! Neat! But be careful with them!_

_An interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Goron – Brother, did you find the treasure?

_Link nods._

Goron – Oh! A small Bomb bag!

Hey! Did you know? If you take your items to one of the shops in town, run by a guy namedGondo, chances are you can upgrade them with the right materials! Pretty great, right? You'd be able to carry 20 Bombs! And then 40 Bombs! But anyway, I better head back home! See you around, Brother!

_He rolls off. The player is given control._

Looking around the area for a way back—the side on which he was presently situated—there was no ladder from the hot spring up to the cliff where he entered from. It took him a while, but he found a wall, which could be blasted with a Bomb. It was on the cliff where the archers were. Once he blasted a segment of the wall open, a crescent-shaped pathway revealed itself. Link ran all the way around, and blasted the wall on the other side. He had reached the other cliff. Link then made his way out of the cave, returned to Epona, and journeyed out of Hyrule Field. Not before long, he had arrived at Faron Woods. Upon arrival, the wind had begun to blow more. Light shone through the area. The bright-coloured leaves glimmered and flickered in the wind. Some elegantly made their way to the ground, while others were strong enough to last on the trees for a while. The ground had already become infested in yellow and orange leaves. While the scattered brown leaves originated from the giant, ancient tree far in the distance. That tree hadn't re-bloomed in centuries. Grass was barely visible at this point in the season. Whatever remained unprotected by the foliage – it danced in the wind. Each visible, individual strand danced. The wind gently howled. It was a warm, summer breeze, with just a hint of coolness to send a tingling sensation down one's spine. The dark cave, leading to the ancient tree, was difficult to travel through. No light went through the northward passageway. Keese, Deku Babas, and Rats _still_ infested this place. Link, however, could easily handle these enemies with his sword.

On the other side of the cave was a large forested region, which once housed a lake of poisoned water. But the poison had dissipated over the months. The grass and leaves remained damp. It would take a few more months for this area to dry completely. Half of the day had already gone by at this point. The light shone directly on Link. He was sweating profusely. Though the leaves were eager to transition into the season of fall, the bright star above still wanted summer to continue. As Link walked through the very large forested region of Faron Woods, he eventually made his way to the giant, ancient tree. The Forest Temple. A long, winded, wooden path led high up to an entrance into the tree. Though the people of this time know this tree as simply an old tree, the people of a century ago knew it as "_The Great Deku Tree"_ – a wise, soft-spoken guardian within Kokiri Forest. He had died early on during the previous Link's journey to become the Hero of Time. The entrance to the Forest Temple, however, remained block by a large gray cube. And on the other side of the long, winded path – Rusl, a Resistance Member, stood with his son, Colin, and his golden Cucco. He called Link over.

_An interactive discussion ensues._

Rusl – Link! Over here!

_He walks over. _

Rusl – Where in the world have you been all this time? We haven't seen you since Ganondorf's fall! He's been dead for five months! _Five months!_ What have you been up to all this time?!

_Why do you ask?  
I don't know myself…  
I'm figuring that out as I go._

Rusl – I just said why. Were you not listening?

_I don't know myself…_

Rusl – Oh. I'm sorry. Didn't quite realize the challenge of being the Hero, once evil's been slain. Yes, that was sarcasm. Apologies. But, hey, listen: I have something to tell you: Turns out we've found a new discovery beyond the woods. Auru, Shad, and Ashei have already gone ahead, and made their way to where this ancient Temple used to be. You remember the place, right? Well, I brought my trusty golden Cucco with me. Go on, and head over to the others. I'm sure they have lots to fill you in on.

_I'm figuring that out as I go._

Rusl – Ha! Good luck forging this new path as you go along your next journey. Yes, that was sarcasm. Apologies. But, hey, listen: I have something to tell you: Turns out we've found a new discovery beyond the woods. Auru, Shad, and Ashei have already gone ahead, and made their way to where this ancient Temple used to be. You remember the place, right? Well, I brought my trusty golden Cucco with me. Go on, and head over to the others. I'm sure they have lots to fill you in on.

_The player is given control._ _An interactive discussion with Colin is also possible._

Colin – Hey, Link! Wow! Long-time no see! You're sure getting shorter! Heh, just kidding! Oh, um, whenever you're done playing with your other friends, can we play together at home? I wanna try out my sword skills with the Hero himself!

_Sure thing, buddy!  
If I find the time, sure!_

Colin – Yay! I'm gonna train super hard while you're out there! I'm totally gonna win!

_If I find the time, sure!_

Colin – Okay, but… don't take too long! I miss you too much when you're gone for so long! When you come back, I will have trained my hardest! You're gonna lose, heh!

_The player is given control._

Link picked up the golden Cucco, walked up to the stump on the side, and flew over to a solid segment of the ancient tree, with the Cucco held above his head. Feathers shook off his little body as they flew. Link travelled from one side of the abyss to the other. The ancient tree had indents along the sides in a roughly equal length, while tall rock pillars stood erect from a dark, seemingly non-existent world below. These pillars were much farther apart, so Link had to fly from a pillar to an indent in the tree to another pillar, and so on and so forth, until he finally arrived at a taller section of the hidden **Sacred Grove** – a flight path he had never attempted before. The older path was impassable. Upon arrival, Link was greeted by the **Skull Kid** he had encountered many months before. He was lonely in this forgotten section of Hyrule, with nobody to play with. He only had his skeleton marionettes to keep him company, and his trumpet to liven up the forested area. Like in the main path of Faron Woods, the trees shone all bright colours. But no light shone through this region. Well, a vague amount shone through, but the Sacred Grove was dark for the most part. Link stood on a brick ledge upon arrival. His body casted a shadow into the area. The Skull Kid had seen this shadow. The long hat gave away any possible obscurities as to who the person might be. It was obvious for most to know who such a person would be. Only a Hero of destiny would wear such garbs. The gust of wind decreased, but the leaves still remained on the mossy ground. No grass grew here. Only solid stone ground. Link jumped down from the ledge with his golden Cucco. The Skull Kid was up in a very tall tree. They seemed to all be somehow encased in a shrine of rock. The grove was an enclosed space with very few exits. The Skull Kid seemed to have never forgotten the Hero. He was glad to have him return. The Skull Kid, excited to see Link, played his trumpet to invite his skeleton marionettes to surround the Hero. He jumped up and down inside the tree as he spoke to Link.

_An interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Skull Kid – Hee, hee, hee! You finally came back to play with me!

_He jumps down to ground level._

Skull Kid – Try to find me!

_He twirls around, and disappears._

A journey of roaming through the area—killing the **Puppets** as they appeared—and listening for the sound of the playing trumpet began. The music was the main indicator as to whether or not the Skull Kid was nearby. The other one was the shimmering lantern light. The Skull Kid carried a lantern with him. Each of the arched pathways were dark, but one. Link had to travel throughout the Sacred Grove many times to succeed to the next round. Each succession was marked by a sword slash to the Skull Kid. After five slashes, the Skull Kid opened a new pathway to the main hub of the forested area. There, he danced around on the rocky pillars. If Link were to get close, he would teleport to another pillar. With each loud trumpet note, the Puppets would surround Link. It was his job to shatter the Puppets to bones, and shoot eight Arrows—one succession after another—at the Skull Kid whenever he were to blow a note on his trumpet. With each succession, an extra Puppet was added to the huddle. They slashed their skeletal arms every few seconds. This made each round even more challenging than the last. However, once the Skull Kid was finally hit the eighth time, he teleport to the rocky pillar at the center of the room. A pillar which stood in the middle of a large, circular fountain of water. The Skull Kid congratulated the Hero for yet another great game.

_A discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Skull Kid – Hee, hee, hee! Thanks for playing! That was really fun! Well, for winning, I guess I can grant you access to the forgotten Temple up ahead. See you again sometime!

_The Skull Kid disappears, and the brick wall shatters to dust. Yet another arched pathway is revealed._ _The player is given control. _

Silence. Peace and quiet filled this area. Not quite absolute silence, though. Birds chirped to one another, squirrels chattered, and footsteps moved through the tall grass. These were the only sounds to be heard upon entrance to the area. But voices. They grew slightly louder. But not too loud. A gentle sound to not disturb the peace and tranquility of the area. The shattered pillars and stone lay all over the ground. But they did not infest them. Grass was still all over. No trees. No leaves. Not too many bright colours. Just green and gray. Three statues were found in this area. One guarding the **Door of Time**, and two failing to guard the path to the legendary Master Sword. Link had returned that blade to its rightful pedestal after slaying Ganondorf. But as Link walked down the staircase of the ancient, destroyed, mossy Temple to the main section of the area, he realized the reason for as to why the statues were not blocking the entrance with their axes. The sword – was not there. Shad and Ashei were gazing along the walls of brick and stone, while Auru walked toward Link. The Hero took one more look around the area as he walked. The sky was still blue; the light still shone bright; the birds still chirped; the squirrels still chattered. A gentle hush of voices still could be heard. This tranquility pleased Link. This was what he had been looking for. But he knew it would not last. Peace and quiet never lasts very long in Hyrule. And so, Link wondered to himself: What rested in the Twilight of the past? What shadows would soon haunt this world? Link did not know much of Hyrule's past. He was not as knowledgeable in the regard as the Royal Family nor The Resistance. But he would soon know. Auru, Shad, and Ashei roamed around the barren Temple, beyond the Sacred Grove. Auru saw Link, and gathered him to discuss with the others. The Resistance, too, needed answers.

_A cutscene ensues._

Shad – Oh. Link! Welcome back!

Ashei – It's certainly been a while since you've run away! Heh! No worries, yeah? We won't yell at you like Rusl probably already did.

Shad – Yeah, we're glad that you're back!

Auru – Ahem! Now that we're all back together, isn't it time we bring Link, here, up to speed on our finds?

Shad – Of course, Auru! Link, over here.

_They walk over to the brick wall he and Ashei had been gazing at earlier._

Shad – Somewhere here on this wall is a symbol. A symbol of an ancient tribe, known as the _"Sheikah"_. Now if only I could— ah! There it is!

_He points to it._

Auru – The Sheikah haven't existed for a very long time, you see? They were the closest tribe to the Royal Family, and to the gods. One of the Sages acted as protector to the princess of a century ago, when she was young. Impa was her name. _Was_. The Sages no longer refer to themselves as their name of old. But in the past? Yes, in the past, they still hold onto their names.

_Link nods._

Shad – What? You've spoken to the Sages?

Auru – Ah, so, our theory is correct. Demons emerge from the shadows. We must stop them at the source before our world darkens, like when Zant challenged the throne.

Ashei – Wait, what? You think the Twili will return to Hyrule, and infest this place?!

Auru – It's a possibility, but I'm talking about demons. We could be getting ourselves into another war. We haven't had one of those in ages, and those damned shadow folk certainly love a good war.

Ashei – And the Sheikah, yeah? What do they have to do with this?

_Auru points to the Door._

Shad – You know of their stories, right? The Sheikah are their ancestors!

Ashei – Their… ancestors?

Shad – Please don't tell me you haven't read father's notes on the Sheikah and the Twili…

Ashei – No, Shad. I haven't read what your father wrote about them.

Shad – Oh, goodness… What have you been doing all this time?

Ashei – You sound like Rusl right now, yeah?

Auru – Excuse me, but we have an invasion or _something_ to prevent!

Shad – Right. Link, we're sending you back in the past. Back when there were at least _some_ Sheikah left.

Auru – And you're also to seek the Sages again. We know not for certain what lays before you. Only that you will receive some answers. Place your sword in the pedestal to deactivate the statue. Withdraw it, and head through the Door.

Ashei – Good luck, Link.

Shad – Yeah. Good luck.

_The player is given control._

Their voices had remained silent that entire time. The philosophers did not want to disturb the quiet; the tranquility. The birds still chirped – some louder than others. They all spoke to each other, it seemed. But it was nice. Link just wanted to sit down in the grass, breathe a sigh of relief, and just enjoy the beautiful day. But Link knew that he couldn't. He walked over to the two Guardians. They stood at both sides of the archway, with their axes held high. They did not need to protect the entrance, because the Master Sword was not there. Link walked down the long staircase, under the archway, until he arrived at a circular courtyard. The pedestal stood in the center. He walked up to it, and withdrew his Steel Blade. Just a regular sword that was luckily provided for him at Arbiter's Grounds. This standard blade was not as spectacular as the Master Sword, but Link hoped it would serve its usefulness until he would wield the blade of evil's bane once again. He held his Steel Blade high in the air; the blade aimed straight for the slot of the pedestal. Link thrust it down. As the sword entered the pedestal, the Guardian at the Door of Time lit up, and dissipated. Link withdrew his blade, turned around, and walked all the way back up the staircase. The others were still talking to each other. They were looking for more symbols, or words, or something – hieroglyphs, perhaps? Link made his way through the grass, and over to the staircase he arrived from. He walked onto the damaged, mossy Temple, and over to the Door. He placed his hand on the doorknob, and he opened the Door. A giant amount of white light poured out as he walked in. And when he reached the other side, Link was back in Hyrule – one-hundred years in the past. He walked down the staircase. A person, with a face robed in cloth, stood in the opposite direction, near the altar. This person played a lyre; a Goddess Harp. The footsteps down the staircase were heard. The person turned around. The lyre fell to the ground when their eyes met. The Hero was home again, she assumed.

_A cutscene ensues._

Sheik – Link! Link, you're home!

_She runs up to him, and hugs him tightly._

Sheik – It's been so long! My life has crumbled! I waited for you to come home, but you never returned – until now! We've gotten older! Man and woman, rather than boy and girl!

_Pause._

Sheik – So… did you find her? Is Navi back in Kokiri Forest?

_Link nods._

Sheik – N—no. You aren't him! I'm feeling something isn't right! Am I hallucinating?! No! You! You're—you're an imposter!

_She walks backward, and picks up her lyre._

Sheik – You're messing with my feelings! You have no idea how painful it is for me to figure out how to live my life in a world without the curse; without Ganondorf or— him. Please… whatever you're trying to do to me, just—just stop! Please, I'm begging you! Leave me in peace—

_A voice echoes throughout the __**Temple of Time**__._

Impa – Hey! Zelda! He is no imposter! You're looking at a Hero from a different time. Bring him to us. We Sages are currently in the desert. Do you remember the mirror I once spoke to you about? There, we can be found. Transport him to us. We will explain our situation later.

_Sheik plays the Requiem of Spirit. An orange barrier circles around Link, from bottom to top. As it reaches his hat, Link is gone. He arrives at the Mirror Chamber moments later. All the Sages, in their mortal form, are standing around him. They point to the large black hunk of rock. The mirror activates, and a pathway to the __**Realm of Twilight**__ is revealed. Link walks up the seemingly-glass staircase, and stands at the platform. Link dissipates into small black, square particles, and floats into the hunk of rock; the portal. A little while after, the particles recreate his structure, and Link is in Midna's home of one-hundred years before. A purple light appears nearby. He walks into it, and is taken to the __**Twilight Thoroughfare**__. The player is given control upon arrival, and disappearance of the purple light that follows the Hero._

The purple light brought Link to an underground section of the castle – the sewers. Rats and Keese were all over. They desired to feast. Link saw these creatures through the bars of a cell. The sewer was once a place used to entrap prisoners. Each room was seemingly large. There was enough space two make about six steps in one. Link was sitting on a bench. He was locked in with no way out. But there was a way out. It took him a while, but Link found a switch behind the bench. He had to either roll into the wall to knock it down, or pull the bench back, to find the switch on the wall. He pressed it, and the gate opened. Link emerged. A stream flowed between the cells on both sides. A stream of blood. There was also some dripping off the ceiling, and sliding down the walls. Serpents slithered there, too. Link continued to walk until the path turned right. But at the end of the path, a barrier appeared. He could not proceed further down the sewer labyrinth. He noticed a locked door beyond the barrier, in the direction he intended to go. He couldn't have proceeded even _if_ the barrier wasn't there. Link needed to find the key. As he turned around, suddenly, all of the cells opened. The skulls in each cell floated into the air. Wings appeared, and they all glowed various different colours. Some light blue; some red; some gold. Link shattered them all with his sword. And as they all turned to dust, a treasure chest appeared in the cell Link was transported to. He walked to it. He entered his cell, and opened the small chest. There was his key. Then, the bars slammed shut. He was stick in there. A monster appeared. A giant, ugly, black Twili monster – A **Shadow Beast**. Link slashed and slashed and slashed at it until it finally fell to the ground, and turned to tiny black, square particles. The barrier then dispersed. Link proceeded to the door. He was led to another section of the labyrinth. Grates on both sides of the doors allowed the flow of blood to travel through. The door remained open, and so the serpents could slither their way alongside Link, as well. They were always nibbling at his lower legs. Teeth marks were constantly left behind. Link had to proceed his way through each section of the labyrinth—completing nearly identical tasks each time—until he arrived at the spiralling staircase to the rooftops of the castle. With each section, an additional Shadow Beast was added. Link needed to remember the trick to killing them from his last adventure. The monsters attack in packs, for the most part. If one member still remained, while the others are unconsciously laying on the ground, it would screech such a wretched sound that the others would awake, and continue the fight. Either they all died together, or in groups of two or three. Before reaching the giant staircase in the tall, circular room, the last group of Shadow Beasts were in a pack of five. Link killed two and then three. Spin attacks were the key to success.

He arrived at the circular chamber. The room was several dozen feet tall. A giant staircase spiralled all the way to a platform at the top. It was his duty to make his way to the rooftops of the palace. But upon his arrival, Link noticed a symbol on the stone ground upon which he stood. It was the symbol of the Royal Family. However, the Triforce was oddly upside down. Perhaps the Twili, being of a parallel world to Hyrule, had its own inverted Triforce of its own? Link didn't think too much of it. He needed to reach Midna's predecessor. The Sages brought him to a different section of the castle. He wondered why. And as Link walked over to the start of the staircase, a barrier appeared around the entire ground. Link was trapped inside. He could not go up, or out of the chamber. Looking up would do absolutely nothing, but it would definitely make for an amusing, surprising appearance of Link's next challenger within the underground section of the castle – **Phantom Zant.** A hologram of the former Twili, who usurped the throne during Link's time, appeared. He allowed several different creatures to appear from the ground, with his magic. Shadow Deku Babas, Skulltulas, Keese, and even Tektites. Meanwhile, as Link was forced to deal with the aggravating, vexatious enemies, Phantom Zant had been dancing around the room from various points; teleporting all over. Occasionally, he would launch dark red spheres of energy at Link. This was his chance to run over to him, and attack him as many times as possible before he would disappear again. Any other time he'd run to Phantom Zant would lead to an immediate transportation to another location. When Phantom Zant would choose to attack Link, it would be the same for Link in his regard. After several rounds of slashing, Phantom Zant shattered to white particles of dust, for that had been the colour of his floating figure. The barrier dispersed. Link made his long, arduous journey up the very long, spiralling staircase. He reached the grate platform at the top. Streams of blood had emerged from the walls. They poured out, down through the grating, and onto the ground far, far below. The gushing of blood from their crevices grew faster and faster. Link needed to escape through the window before an ocean of blood would forge within the sewers. He crawled and wriggled his way out, and reached the rooftops. It was quiet. Link no longer heard echoes or dripping or sounds of pain. The twilight fittingly overtook the sky. Only the sounds of footsteps along the shingles. He carefully made his way along the path of the rooftop. He made his way over to the portion of the castle in the distance. This moment—this dungeon—acted as a bit nostalgic for Link. It was exactly like his first journey through the sewers and rooftops of Hyrule Castle all those months ago. It wasn't before long that he arrived at the tower. He climbed through the window, and walked up the staircase. He opened the giant door to the Royal Bedroom. He expected to meet the Twilight Princess of one-hundred years before, but rather, he had entered into the path of those that the Sages and Zelda were sensing – the demons birthed from the shadows.

_A cutscene ensues._

Twili Interloper 1 (to Minadu) – So, if you'd be so kind, I ask that you return us our magic! We need our Fused Shadows!

Minadu – N—never! I'd never let you part with it!

_As Link walks in, the Interloper—firmly gripping Minadu's neck—drops the Twilight Princess to the ground with dark magic in its hand. She is knocked unconscious. The Interloper looks at him from a better angle. The demon gets up from its knees, and uses its magic to freeze Link in his place. The other two Interlopers—standing at either sides of their ally—blast more spheres of dark energy from their hands. They launch the spheres at Link. His eyes roll to the back of his head. Only plain white eyes remain. Another host takes over his body. He looks at the others angrily. _

Oni – What the hell took so long?!

_The demons bow._

Twili Interloper 1 – Oh. Oh, Master, we are sorry.

Twili Interloper 2 – Yes, very sorry.

Twili Interloper 3 – Very sorry, indeed.

Oni – _Enough! _What kind of mortal am I inside now?! Some worthless Zora like the last time?!

Twili Interloper 1 – No, milord. You're in _his_ body.

_He laughs. Oni pauses, and then looks at the Interlopers quizzically._

Oni – You mean to tell me that I am currently embodying the Hero?

_He looks at the green-garbed arm._

Oni – Well, then… How about we withdraw that legendary blade, and use it alongside the Triforce?

_He withdraws the sword from the sheath on his back. He looks at it, and realizes an unforgivable truth._

Oni – _What?! _The Hero does not wield the Master Sword?! Impossible! How could he have wriggled his way all the way here without it?! What kind of challenge have you given him?!

Twili Interloper 2 – Perhaps, we could change the subject? Heh!

Twili Interloper 1 (whispering to Twili Interloper 2) – Shut up! We'll talk about the monsters later!

_As the Interloper turns its head back to face Oni, the Steel Blade is thrown like a boomerang. The blade pierces the Interloper's forehead, and damages its skull tremendously. The demon falls on its knees, with blood splurging everywhere. The others look at Oni in shock._

Twili Interloper 2 – What did you do _that _for?!

Oni – Hmph! He was a fool. He could not lead. And he could not keep our plan going strong. And for that, I deactivated him. Any other questions?

Twili Interloper 2 – No, sir.

Twili Interloper 3 – None in the slightest, Master.

Oni – Excellent.

_He walks over to the deactivated Interloper, puts his boot on its head, and goes to withdraw the blade. And as he does, his eyes roll back. Link has returned to the world. He looks around in shock. He takes a few steps back, takes out his shield, and remains protected._

Twili Interloper 3 – Kill him.

_Twili Interloper 3 disappears; leaving only square black particles behind. Twili Interloper 2 withdraws its Dual Demonic Katanas. He walks up to Link; kicking the deactivated one out of the way; bashing its head against the wall—and gets ready to duel the Hero. The demon smirks. Link is frightened._

"_DEMON OF NIGHTMARES: __**TWILI INTERLOPER**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

The bedroom darkened as the duel began. Thunder and lightning began to flash and crackle outside. This figure dwelling in the darkness—this Interloper—stood before Link. Its blades had been withdrawn. Dual katanas. Link immediately followed suit, and took out his Steel Shield to coincide with his already-withdrawn Steel Sword. They ran up to each other, and clashed their swords. They swung back-and-forth, as they tried to get a hit, but the Interloper saw every one of Link's moves. It knew how he would stance, swing, and jump. Nothing really worked, though the Interloper managed to attack successfully numerous times. This occurred about every time when Link's shield wasn't protecting him. The demon eventually grew tired of Link, and put its left katana away. A dark red energy sphere formed inside its hand. The Interloper launched it at the ground, and Keese suddenly appeared. As Link killed the bats, he additionally had to avoid the Interloper's sword attacks. When they were all dead, the demon tried again. A pair of Shadow Deku Babas appeared on the ground. Same deal. One final try. That time, Skulltulas were about to emerge. But Link figured out the strategy. He ran up to the Interloper as the sphere had been forging itself in its left hand. He slashed away—he had found the Interloper's weak spot—but then, the demon brought its other katana back into the game, and the trouble continued. Next tactic. The Interloper tried to kill Link with its fiery breath. Link shielded himself, and then bashed its face in with it. Link brought his sword, and slashed away until the Interloper clashed blades with Link's again. One final tactic. The Interloper jumped into the air, and released a giant ripple of wind upon return to the ground. It gusted in all directions, in a wavy way. Link was hurt tremendously. Life was almost over for him. The Interloper smirked, and tried again, but Link was smarter. He found his way to winning. With his Steel Blade, Link launched an uppercut attackto the Interloper's groin. The Interloper jumped just a tiny bit from the pain and the suddenness, and then fell down to the ground. Link finished the demon off with the Ending Blow.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link jumps into the air with the blade held downward. He lands atop the Interloper with the hilt held firmly in his hand. The blade pierces through the Interloper's stomach. Both its body, and the body of the already-deactivated Interloper, float into the air, and explode into square, black particles. They slowly shimmer downward, like flower petals or leaves. A Twilight portal appears in its place. Along with it, a __**Heart Container**__, which descends just next to it. Minadu is still asleep during this time, and as such, Link cannot speak with the Twilight Princess of one-hundred years ago. He must return at a later time. The player is given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Back at the Temple of Time, Sheik is greeted by a guard. He has some news for the disguised princess. He walks down the staircase, and over to her. _

Guard – I have some news regarding the search you've asked for.

Sheik – And? Have you found him?

Guard – No, we have not. We do not know where he is, but some clues have led us to believe he's home. He's in Hyrule. Somewhere.

Sheik – How can you say that for sure?

_He pulls something out from his back pocket._

Guard – He held onto one of the Royal Family's sacred treasures, no?

_Sheik gently takes the Ocarina of Time from him._

Sheik – He's home! Oh! Thank you so much!

Guard – Heh! You're welcome!

_He turns around, and goes back up the stairs. But as he puts his hand on the doorknob, Sheik stops him._

Sheik – Wait! Where did you find it?

_Pause._

Guard – In the Lost Woods near Kokiri Forest. Some of our men are looking for him there. It's been a very long time since he's left. He could be a—

Sheik – A Stalfos, yes.

_Pause._

Guard – Well… goodbye. If we have more news, I'll stop by again. Take care!

_He opens the door, and leaves. Sheik looks down at the ocarina._

Sheik (whispering) – Goodbye.

_As she hugs dearly onto the ocarina, square, black particles suddenly appear near a pillar to her far left. Sheik quickly hides the Ocarina, and smiles at Link when he's returned._

Sheik – Hey! Link! Come here!

_Sheik walks to an elongated altar, where the Spiritual Stones rest. He walks over._

Sheik – In order to keep our worlds safe, I've disabled the door to the Master Sword, as you can see. But I'm unable to re-open it without your help. These three stones here… You'll have to go to various locations in your time to reactivate them, but the dungeons will be in mine. If you can find a way to, the sword is yours. But be careful with it. Oh, and you'll need to unlock the entrance through time with this:

_She takes out the ocarina, and holds it out._

Sheik – I'm going to teach you a song. Here, take it:

_Link takes the Ocarina of Time, and holds it; ready to play. _

**YOU GOT THE OCARINA OF TIME!  
**_This is a sacred treasure belonging to the Royal Family of Hyrule. The notes it plays are whimsical and time-changing. _

_Sheik takes out her Goddess Harp._

Sheik – With the _**Song of Time**_, the entrances will open to you. The order, in which you reactivate these spiritual stones, does not matter. I'll let you find the places yourself. Complete the temples in any order you like. It's more fun if I let you go off on your own adventure, rather than mine, right? Anyway, let's learn a song, huh? Follow me.

**YOU LEARNED THE SONG OF TIME!  
**_Use it near a Time Block to make it disappear, and be granted access to hidden areas. Hidden areas in a different time altogether. _

Sheik – That's it, Link! You did it! Good job! The Ocarina of Time is yours to hold. Good luck reactivating the stones.

_Link nods, turns around, heads up the staircase, and out the Door of Time. He is returned to the present. The player is given control upon return._

Crickets were making their nightly sound. Loons were as well, from the bodies of water in the distance. The entire sky above was dark. Dark in colour. The stars – they twinkled. The moon – it glimmered its white light through the trees. The faint sounds of the night echoed. Wolves and foxes howled. Animals walked their paths, and trampled on leaves in a crackling way. The critters of the night were roaming. The woods; the forest – it was not entirely a safe, habitable place to be. Link made his way out of the Sacred Grove. He wandered through Skull Kid's territory, and climbed up the wall to the crevice of rock he previously entered. The Golden Cucco knew to wait for him. Link was very close with animals. They understood each other instinctively. Link picked up the Cucco. They flew their way back to the main section of the woods. Feathers flew in all directions during the flight back. Upon return, Link bid farewell to the Cucco, and then made his way up the long, wooden path of the Forest Temple. The giant gray block protected the entrance. Link tried pushing and pulling, but nothing worked. Link was too weak. The block was too heavy for him. He hadn't very many places to go, really. Two, however, were on his mind almost immediately. To Zelda, and home.

**ACT III – Emerald**

_**Acts III, IV, and V can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by Sheik. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these three acts.**_

Home. That seemed as good a place as any to start. Link made his way through the grass; the leaves; the caves – all the conventions of a forest. Epona awaited him on the other side of the cave – beyond the giant forested region, which previously had been a poisonous swamp. But Link didn't reach her that easily. The enemies and creatures of the night roamed that area. They walked and searched and hunted. They found a prey in Link, but he proved himself to be the predator. He fought them all. Slashed their guts and their organs out with his Steel Blade. He fought the smaller ones in a group, but the larger ones individually. Though Link was strong, they still attacked him; scarred him; bruised him. A slight challenge for the Hero, though not _too much _of a challenge. He managed. He made it through half the forest on his own, and the other half with Epona. The cave was the least frightening, strangely. No huddle of monsters there. Only Keese and Deku Babas. The simplest kind of monster. Link rode and traversed through the night sky until they reached the last section of the forest, all the way on the other side from where he arrived. His house. Link dismounted off Epona, and walked over to the ladder. He climbed up, and put his hand on the doorknob. The door was locked. He looked down, and found three piles of mail. All of which had been neatly put together with string. He picked up a pile, and gazed at it. Not much to see. Mostly just notices and newsletters, really.

The silence of the night stayed for only a moment. There was a sound of walking, which drew closer and closer. Link gazed around in search of the approaching visitor. It was Rusl. He emerged from the village for a brief stroll through the area. He had been waiting for Link to appear. He knew Link would show eventually. Their eyes locked the moment Link turned his head just perfectly, and saw him. Rusl had his sword in its sheath, and his fishing rod in his right hand. He had it tilted against his shoulder. Rusl then looked through his pockets, and searched for the key. He patted his stomach and shoulders and thighs until he finally heard the slight jingle. He withdrew it from his breast pocket, and tossed it to Link in an underhand throw. Link caught it in the air with his left hand. He smiled at Rusl, and then unlocked the door. He turned the knob, and opened it. And as he did, Link had one last look at Rusl, but he was already returning to the village. Link turned the lights on, and sighed heavily to finally be home. He picked up the mail he had received, and held onto it for a moment. He walked up to the ladder in front of him, and climbed it to his bed. Link placed the letters on the small table next to it, and then retrieved his fishing rod from beneath his bed. He kept it safe. Though it had dusted – a lot. A giant gust of air went into the air after he blew on it. Dust scattered all over the place. Link began to cough and cough and cough. That was when he realized just how dusty the house was. But it was not of Link's concern for the moment. He wanted to relax. Link took his fishing rod out of the house, and out to **Ordon Village**. Rusl awaited him by the river.

It was the end of summer. Every warm night brought on the thought as to whether it would be the last. The warmth still contained the reminder of the summer's heat, but the breeze was cool and refreshing. A gentle breeze. And it was lovely for the time of night that it was. The moon's glow seemed so bright that the mail Link received could be read so well! But Link didn't have his mail with him. He had his fishing rod. The one that Rusl's son, Colin, had made for him. Link walked up to the river. Rusl had already caught about four fish, and let them loose back into the water. Ordon didn't have as great fish as some of the other places in Hyrule. Mostly just Greengill and Catfish in Ordon. Link casted his rod into the water, and waited for a fish to come, but none did. Meanwhile, Rusl had been catching fish after fish after fish. It was peaceful and still that night in the village. Only some crickets and chicken made their silent noises. Link continued to try to catch a fish, but he still couldn't. The water gently splashed with each cast. Rusl was constantly reeling, because he always had a fish to catch. When he noticed Link wasn't catching anything, he stopped fishing, and walked closer beside Link. He watched Link cast his rod. He wasn't making a proper motion. Link hadn't fished in months. He was forgetting something in his technique. Rusl helped him, and Link caught a Greengill shortly thereafter. Link was a pro again, and he caught fish like Rusl did earlier. He continued to fish as Rusl sat down, took his sandals off, and dipped his feet in the cool water.

_A cutscene ensues._

Rusl – You know, I haven't been sleeping all that well these past few months. I haven't been sleeping _very much_, let's be honest. Maybe it was terror; maybe I was scared. Truth is: I don't want the same to happen again. Ever since we returned the children home, my eyes have stayed awake. That day still haunts me even now; waking up from a nap, only to find people missing. Giant monsters just ravaged through the town while I was asleep, and took the children away! Even my son, Colin, for crying out loud! I think I'm still scared, Link. I think I'm still worried I'm going to lose my family again. This village… This is my family. And when you disappeared? This village fell to pieces. The kids look up to you, Link. They need a hero. And that's you. For so long, the young'un's asked me, _"When's Link coming back",_ and I never knew how to respond. I didn't know when you were coming back; I didn't know _if_ you were coming back! I've been trying to protect this village as best I could. I want them safe. I want everyone safe. But they need you, Link. They need their hero back. All of Hyrule does! You've helped a lot of people out during your last journey! And I know it was hard on you… But you're strong. And everyone believes in you.

_Link catches something else out of the water._

**YOU GOT THE SILVER GAUNTLETS!**  
_Use these to pick up and/or move large objects! Handy, right? …Get it? _

_Link stops fishing, and nods at Rusl. He explains this new quest of his. _

Rusl – I see. Another adventure. Then, you best get a move on before it's too late. If you decide against staying for long, I'll let the village know you were here. I'll tell 'em you said, _"Hi"_.

_Rusl gets up, pats Link on the left shoulder with a smile on his face, and watches as Link leaves Ordon Village._

Rusl – But it's probably best you get some rest while you're here. It might be a good idea to sleep in your own bed for once.

_Link waves his left hand in the air as he exits the village. He returns to his treehouse, and climbs up the ladder to the door. He opens it, heads inside, and makes his way to his bed. He sleeps in it until the morning. _

_Fade to black._

Colin – Link! Link, get up!

_Link stretches upon awakening to the sound of Colin's voice from outside his bedroom window. He gets out of bed, and gazes out. All the kids are there. Shortly after, Link steps outside, and greets the kids. _

Beth – Good morning, Link!

Talo – _Morning!_

Malo – Yeah, hey. Good morning and stuff. Where were you?

_Link jumps off the ledge of his house, rather than taking the ladder. _

Beth – Whoa! You alright?

Colin – Of course he's alright! He's Link!

_Link smiles and nods._

Malo (sarcastically) – Oh, you're not going to stay, and hang out with us? We were all so excited to see you return.

Talo – _Malo! _You should be excited that Link at least came home for a bit!

Malo – Yeah, whatever. I'm going home now. Bye, I guess.

_He leaves. The others chase after him. But before returning to the village—while Link gets back on Epona—Colin turns his head._

Colin – Come back soon! We actually _would_ love to hang out with you again!

_Link nods, and then watches as they all leave. Colin turns back, and realize the others are running back home._

Colin – Hey, wait up!

_Link chuckles, and then leaves the Ordona province; heading back to Faron Woods. The player is given control upon arrival into the woods._

Link galloped his way through the grass. The cool morning breeze indicated fall had truly begun. Green was no longer a colour that enveloped the view above. Only below. Although, in some cases, the colours of fall lay on the ground, too. Link journeyed beyond the dark cave, and the maze within the depths of the forest, until he had finally returned to the giant tree at the end of the regularly-accessible forest. He made his way up the long wooden path to the main entrance to the giant gray block blocking the way in. Link luckily beared the correct hand protection to push the block forward, and drop it into a fittingly-square spot, which would otherwise create a hole. Link took a brief look at the symbol on the top of the block. It looked similar. He wondered where he had seen it before. Perhaps the _Song of Time_ might be of use in this situation? Link played the tune. The block glowed blue, and then dissipated into blue particles. Link gazed down the tunnel, but it was all dark. How far did it go? _Where_ did it go? Link was curious to find out. And so, he jumped down… and down… and down. Eventually, he reached the bottom, after travelling downward for such a very long time. He landed in a giant puddle of water. The front of his garbs were soaked. His face was drenched. He was disgusted. The water was a sickly green colour. Not too green, but enough to not make a person want to interact with it. Link stood up, and got out of the puddle. Water dripped all over the floor. A giant door stood before him. He walked up to it, and opened it. Upon arrival to the other side, Link had officially arrived within the **Wind Temple**.

The temple was a giant cylindrical tower. Each floor rested on a circular platform made of metal. A grate platform. Link stepped foot onto the grating that welcomed him into the temple. He gazed down, and noticed a giant fan below. The metal border part of the fan had a large gap on the side by the door Link entered. He wondered why. At the center of the platform was a large hunk of stone in the shape of a wedge. It was connected to the grating and the walls. Link pulled it, but the stone did not budge. He pushed it instead. The fan below turned on as he did. Mobility became difficult. The gust was strong. Link proceeded to the door across from the one he entered. It was dark. Barely anything was visible. It appeared as though nothing was in the room, but a glimmer of white along the upper wall over to the right. Eyes then glimmered. Suddenly, the torches, in all four corners of the room, turned on. It was a rather large mother owl. She swooped down, and tried to attack Link with her claws, but he side-jumped out of the way. The **Hootlem **flew back to where Link had first seen her. And as she did, the flames went out. It got quiet for a moment. There were a brief few seconds of stillness. A little while after, the sound of cracking occurred. A lot of cracking. Things were breaking free. Link could hear and feel the crunchiness he was stepping on. The flames reignited. Baby barn owls everywhere. All miniature looking versions of their mother. There was a swarm of them. They were all heading for Link. And as the Hootlings were all flying around Link, and trying to attack him, Hootlem watched. She soared through the room from different angles to get a better picture. She remained silent until there was a clear opening. The flames went out again. The mother owl then swooped down, and attacked Link with her beak. But Link shield bashed her. The large mother barn owl fell onto the ground, and Link slashed away at her body until blood was all over the place, and she witnessed the death of all her children. Before the Hootlem could claim death, she broke free of the violence, and soared beyond the ceiling above. The mother had fled somewhere safe. And as she disappeared into the darkness, an item dropped down. Link, covered in blood and feathers, walked over to it, and picked it up. He noticed the peculiar purple ribbon on it as he did.

**YOU CLAIMED THE LEAF ROD!  
**_Looks like you claimed an item that went missing! With this, you can briefly soar into the air about the distance of your height. Be careful of using it too much, though! It uses your new Magic Meter! Some wind might help you get higher, if you need it!_

A switch appeared, from under the ground, a few steps from Link's feet. He walked up to it, and stepped on it. A timer began to tick. Link wondered what he needed to do. He escaped the dark room, and returned to the central part of the tower. The metal grate platform above had been disconnected from its hook on one side. It drooped on the side from which he initially entered the temple. The timer was nearly at completion. Link realized what he needed to do, and so he used the Leaf Rod to rise up above the dangling platform, and land on it upon descent. When the timer ran out, the platform lifted itself back up, and re-hooked itself on. Link was safe, but the gust of wind from below was faint. He pushed the wedge-shaped block. The gears, attached to both sides of the fan below, made it rise higher up the tower. The grate platform—the one Link initially stood on—unhooked itself, and slid under the side of the fan. The two switched spots. The gust of wind grew stronger. Link walked, as best as he could, to the one door located on the second floor, but it locked before his very eyes. And as he turned around, a swarm of Hootlings appeared. He attempted to defeat them all. This was more challenging this time, because the wind was strong, and it made it very difficult for Link to move around. However, once they were all defeated, the door unlocked, and so Link was able to proceed. Another timer switch stood at the center of the room. This, alongside some pots and skulls, were the only things inside. Link had to be careful of the skulls, though. A couple might've secretly been Bubbles. Link stepped on the switch, and then returned to the central part of the Wind Temple. He watched as the platform above un-hooked itself, and dropped. He awaited the right moment to use the Leaf Rod, and the wind, in order to land on the third floor. Upon successful arrival, Link found the wedge-shaped stone switch was broken. It had somehow been crumbled to pieces. There was no way to fix this. Link continued onward into the proceeding room. The expected switch, pots, and skulls were all there. But the switch did absolutely nothing beneficial for the time being. Neither did the skulls. Rather, they harmed him! They were all Bubbles in disguise! And the pots? There were a few of them. Some had hearts inside, some had Rupees, but nothing else. Except a transportation platform carefully hidden overtop one of the larger pots! Link stepped on it, and was taken to the sixth floor.

The stone switch, with all of Link's might, could not be pushed nor pulled. He was using his Silver Gauntlets to the absolute maximum. The fan could not be brought up all the way to the sixth floor in one single push! The gears were not capable of passing through all of those grates. They had to be deactivated one by one by the switch directly above them. Link gazed around in hopes he'd find a way to progress, but nothing really seemed noticeable. He thought long and hard as to how he would figure out a new source of wind for him to continue travelling upward. He tried shooting an Arrow both above and below, but the Arrows were too big to fit through the gaps in the metal grate platforms. Bombs obviously didn't work. But maybe the wall on the opposite side of the door he emerged? An explosion made a segment of the wall crumble. Link was deep underground, so he wondered where a tunnel might lead. Wait! A tunnel! Link used a couple of Bomb Arrows to blast though the wall, and create a tunnel to the outside world. A huge draft emerged. It was plenty of wind to travel upward. Link returned to the previous room, and stepped on the timer switch. He walked back out, waited for the right moment, and then used the Leaf Rod to get up to the seventh floor. The Boss Chamber was above, but Link had no key.

There was no stone, wedge-shaped switch on the seventh floor. The room to Link's left had only a door frame, and a giant, gray, cubed block. Link pushed it out of the way, but it wasn't holding any additional switch down. It was just – there. Immediately, Link had an idea. Again, he blasted the wall open. The wall directly across where he stood; directly above the tunnel. With only one Bomb Arrow, Link managed to create a crevice in the wall. He then used another Bomb Arrow downward, and made an additional tunnel down there. He then returned to the large block, and pushed it down the hole with the mighty strength given to him by the Silver Gauntlets. After dropping the block down to the floor below, Link quickly placed a Bomb at the end to create the full, complete tunnel. Almost suddenly, Link was pushed outside. He was hanging on the ledge of the tunnel. Vines were beneath and above him. He used his stamina to travel to the tunnel below. He jumped down from the gap to the ledge of the tunnel, and climbed in. The block was waiting for him. He pulled it back as far as he could. At which moment, the gust suddenly grew stronger, and Link was back outside. With the stamina he had, Link jumped up to the vine above, and climbed his way back to the seventh floor. He jumped down the hole, and pushed the block slightly more. He took a few steps back, and then blasted a tunnel downward. The fifth floor had a room on that side, with a teleportation platform. Link walked up to it, stepped on it, and was taken to a room, on the opposite side of the tower, on the fourth floor. A swarm of Hootlings awaited him. Link attempted his best, with Steel Sword and Steel Shield in his hands, to defeat them all. Upon succession, the door unlocked, and Link could walk across the metal grate platform to the room on the other side. The **Skeletal Hootlem** awaited. The large mother barn owl.

She breathed heavily. The floors; the walls; her body – all were plastered in blood. The torches, in all four corners of the room, were inflamed. They gave light to the owl's appearance. They made her more visible. Her head was the only part of her body that remained intact. Her large eyes were frightening to Link. It made him shiver. Mother owl shoved her face forward, and tried to pin Link's body down into the ground. But Link back-flipped out of the way just in time. The door behind him locked right after. The Skeletal Hootlem spread her wings apart as she rose her face back into neutral position. Small tornadoes emerged, and extinguished the flames. Link ran in a counter-clockwise direction to avoid the owl's under-swoop attack. She remained in the same position at the center of the room, while Link rolled and ran around in avoidance of her direct attacks and her tornado attacks. But then, Link realized something about the tornadoes: they might be beneficial. He stepped inside one with his Leaf Rod, and soared up above Skeletal Hootlem. He landed on her back, and slashed away at her head. Once she had enough, she shook him off her body. Link fell down. He had to be quick to get back up, though. This was the mother owl's moment to throw some spikes of blood at Link. She tossed them, but, with enough luck, Link somersaulted out of the way. He continued running. The bloody spikes pierced through the wall behind him. Upon return to the front of the room, Skeletal Hootlem attempted to use her beak again. If she was successful, he'd get tossed to the ceiling. Otherwise, she'd get her beak stuck in the ground. Link could use that as a way to get up on the back of her head, and slash away. After several slashes, the bones and ligaments of her neck grew weak and frail. Eventually, it was sliced off entirely. An immense amount of blood splurged out of her body. Shortly thereafter, the body—including the head—exploded into a swarm of Keese. They found their various escape routes out of the room, and, perhaps, out of the temple. Hidden beneath the Skeletal Hootlem rested the Giant Chest. Link opened it, and found the **Boss Key**. Link followed the previous path he used to reach the door at the top of the seventh floor. The large door he unlocked was, in fact, a spiralling staircase. Upon arrival to the top, Link was inside the giant birdhouse.

_A cutscene ensues._

_From the boss' point of view, Link enters the giant birdhouse. He is looking around for his target. It takes him a while, but once the two exchange eye contact, Link stutters in his spot. His jaw is wide open. He is absolutely scared. The size of this monster is huge. Viewpoint switches to Link's. King Hibhoot, who was perched on the ledge above the spiralling staircase, swoops down, grabs Link in his claws, and breaks through the floor and the metal grates. His rumbling along the walls somehow causes the gear-mobile fan to slide all the way down, and beneath the very first metal grate of the temple. Link is dropped down, while King Hibhoot soars all the way back to the top. The view to the birdhouse is wide open._

"_STRIGIDAE OF GALES__**: KING HIBHOOT**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

The colossal barn owl spread his wings as far as possible. He then swooped quite a bit downward. Four tornadoes swooped down with him. Link remembered what he learned against Skeletal Hootlem, and used the Leaf Rod to gain an upward boost with the mini tornadoes. One by one, he boosted higher and higher until he had gone through all four. Once having travelled through the fourth, with King Hibhoot gazing not too far from it, Link emerged with his sword raised skyward. He shattered a segment of the emerald right eye protection. Link then dropped back down to the platform at the bottom. King Hibhoot soared back to the top. In one clean 180-degree turn, the owl soared back down, and repeated the same tactic. Link used his Leaf Rod, and did a small fraction of damage to King Hibhoot's emerald left eye protection. But once Link dropped back down, and the owl reached the top, King Hibhoot was smarter. He was worried he might lose the protection on one eye if he were to repeat the same tactic. Instead, he just waited at the top. He anticipated Link to make a move. He withdrew his Hero's Bow, and aimed for the owl's right eye. With a clean swipe, the King caught the Arrow in his wing. He tossed it to the ground far below. Link tried again, but still no success. He added Bombs to the mix, and launched a Bomb Arrow at King Hibhoot's right eye. He lost a good chunk of his wing, as well as the emerald protection. He repeated the same to his left eye. Link received the same results. The King's true eyes were revealed, and this made the King very angry. He swooped downward in an attempt to pick Link up with his talons. If he were successful, Link would get tossed throughout most of the Temple; bouncing from wall to wall. Otherwise, Link would quickly move out of the way, and climb onto the colossal owl. As King Hibhoot made his way back up, Link hiked his way up the King's back. The owl was unaware if he was feeling anything on his body, so the climb successfully continued. Meanwhile, the King made a search almost everywhere for Link. Upon reaching the owl's face, Link withdrew his Steel Blade once more, and jabbed it into King Hibhoot's left eye. The owl, madly in pain, wiggled Link off his body. He had almost lost vision in one eye. It had increasingly gotten worse, in any case. Depending on his luck, Link may have landed in a multitude of locations. Either all the way at the bottom, and would thus have to repeat the same tactic, or on one of the crevices on the walls where the tunnels are located. In such an event, Link would have to make his way outside of the temple, and climb his way upward to the seventh floor. If he were lucky, and King Hibhoot were peeking through one of the holes, Link might have the opportunity to sprint to the other side, and jam his sort into the peeking eye. After that, he'd have to climb his way, from the outside, until he could climb on King Hibhoot's back, and make his way to his head. Link, turn after turn, jabbed his sword—which had been getting increasingly more bloody—into his eyes until defeat.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Upon blindness, King Hibhoot shakes Link off his body once again. Though, this time, the owl has no idea where to go. The lack of vision frustrates him and angers him. He completely forgets about Link; about where he is, and even about that he's in mid-air at the moment. While Link falls down—nearly about to die from both the drop distance and the owl's weight—he luckily manages to latch onto the last ledge with one of the tunnels he built. He climbs into it, and watches—from his safe spot—King Hibhoot fall down, shatter the bottom-most metal grate, and turn into bloody bits and pieces from the still-functioning giant fan. The remnants, of the colossal King Hibhoot, splatter across the temple. Shortly thereafter, a __**Heart Container**__ rises from the fan blades, and into the giant birdhouse atop the tower portion of the temple. The player is then given control. _

Link walked to the outskirts, and climbed his way up the vines and ledges into a previously inaccessible back entrance into the birdhouse. He made his way inside, and to the giant, circular green portal—with a Kokiri Emerald symbol emblazoned at the center—where the hole once stood. However, the Heart Container rested on the ledge upon which King Hibhoot previously had been perched. Knocking it down and collecting it would grant Link an extra life.

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link steps into the light, but before teleporting elsewhere – somebody else teleports to Link's location. It is Fado, the Sage of Wind. He speaks with Link._

Fado – Looks like you're the new guy, huh? I'm sure you'll be a great Hero. The last Link departed from our world. He needed to find himself, I guess. Our world hasn't been the same without him. Hyrule needs a Hero, and I suppose you're that Hero. Look out for everyone out there. The people of Hyrule rely on you. You're their hope. If they don't have hope—if they don't have their Link looking out for them—all is lost in the world. So, no matter what, stay at their side. Be Link. You may not be the _"Hero of Time", _but you'll be the Hero of _your_ time. A new generation of people. And I realize that it's tough to be that one guy in a giant world, but when the people see you—all green; that hat; your courage—they know who to look up to. You're their Hero. Don't let them down.

_Link nods and smiles._

Fado – Here, let me teach you a song. It might come in handy in this giant world.

_He takes out his violin. Link takes out his ocarina right after._

Fado – Follow along with me. This is called the _**Minuet of Forest**_**.**

**YOU LEARNED THE MINUET OF FOREST!  
**_With this, you are able to teleport just outside of the Forest Temple in the present! It saves time AND carrots! _

_They put their instruments away._

Fado – Farewell, Link. And good luck. We're counting on you.

_Link feels something. He gazes down at his left hand, and notices a yellow triangular glow along the location of the Triforce of Courage. He then turns entirely green, and disappears._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Oni is awakening as Minadu. This awakening is shown from a first person perspective._

Oni – Well, this is interesting. To be in the body of the frail Twilight Princess makes me feel… noble. Yes, noble, indeed.

_He awakens the three Interlopers with a single hand motion. Red Twili symbols appear beneath them as they awake._

Oni – Welcome back, demons!

Twili Interloper 1 – Th—thank you, Master!

Twili Interloper 2 – If I may, why did you re-awake us?

Twili Interloper 3 – Yeah, you could've just went onto your next job with an entire _horde_ of Interlopers! Why revive _us_?

Oni – I don't know. I felt like it. And besides, I needed something to do in this body. This feeling of nobility made me feel like keeping this vessel where it belongs.

Twili Interloper 2 – Heh! So, how's the hunt for the Hero going?

Oni – He's still buggering around. He takes forever.

Twili Interloper 1 – Do you want _us_ to fix that? We can kill a couple monsters for him!

Oni – Yeah, just like how you meddled with that damn giant owl? Yeah, no, thank you.

**ACT IV – Ruby**

_**Acts III, IV, and V can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by Sheik. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these three acts.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link slowly descends to the earth, wrapped inside a transparent green crystal. This crystal disappears as he lands. The camera rotates around Link into the proper third person angle. The player is given control upon landing._

Link had landed just a few steps away from the longpath to the Forest Temple. He made his way through the grass, and beyond the trees, until he arrived at the cave which separated the two sections Faron Woods. Upon exiting the cave, his trusty horse, Epona awaited him. Link climbed on, and made his way into Hyrule Field. The world was vast. Death Mountain was _far_ in the distance. It would take him quite a while to reach it. Link and Epona made their way through the plains and the rocks, and past some goat, sheep, and some enemies, of course. Bokoblin and the like. The journey went on. Some people were walking their way through the paths of Hyrule. A couple were even on horse and buggy. Link passed by most of them. Here and there were some cottages were people resided. One, for instance, stood within an area of extremely tall pine trees. This piqued Link's interest, and so, he had a gander. The people were home. He knew this, because of the smoke coming from the chimney. He and Epona headed up the steep cliff, and galloped through the trees. Then, another steep cliff to go up. They slowly made their way up that one. It was even steeper and longer, so it was more difficult to climb. Link dismounted off Epona just next to the cottage. Signs indicated this was a business. He made his way inside. 

_An interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Zubora (to Link) – Oh! A customer!

Zubora (to Gabora) – Gabora, go fetch this young man a nice cup of coffee!

Zubora (to Link) – What's that? You've never heard of us before? Well, that's just fine. We've moved in only recently. Found this nice place here in the open quiet with a creek nearby. This place is absolutely lovely to live in! How we've never found it before, I'll never know!

_Pause._

Zubora – Oh, hey, you've a cool-looking sword! Mind if I take a look at it?

_Link withdraws his Steel Blade, and hesitantly passes it to Zubora._

Zubora – We're blacksmiths, you see? Since you're such a nice guy, we'll gladly make this sword even mightier overnight for just 100 Rupees! What do you say?

_Yes  
No_

Zubora – Alright! We'll have your improved sword ready as soon as sunrise tomorrow!

_Link pays the amount. The player is then given control._

Zubora – Have a good day, guy!

Epona awaited Link outside. Link got back on, and made his way through more of Hyrule Field, until he eventually arrived at Castle Town. Link dismounted off Epona near the entrance, and went inside. Just as expected, the people infested all the paths and stores. It appeared that there were some new shops in town. There was a clothing shop where Link could buy new gear. However, Link only had a limited supply of Rupees. The maximum amount he could hold in his wallet was 300. Link's decision to upgrade his sword decreased it to 200 Rupees. He most likely couldn't afford everything in Castle Town. First and foremost, he decided he'd head in the direction of Death Mountain next. As such, he had a general idea of what he wanted his look to be. Either he'd purchase the fire-resistant earrings and keep the Green Tunic, or keep his regular blue earrings and buy a **Red Tunic**. They both did the same thing, really. Link was unsure whether to buy the Iron Boots. He figured he'd come back at a later time, due to the lack of money. Link paid 80 Rupees for his fire-resistant gear, and made his way to the next shop – Ravio's Item Shop. A man, about Link's age, stood in the center of a small, little shop. He wore a purple rabbit's mask, had a bag with a Rupee on it, and a tiny bird who flew around him. Where Ravio came from, nobody knew. He was a man of mystery, with very little backstory. Link carefully thought out his item choices to rent. Yes, rent. Ravio rented out his items for 50 Rupees. All useful items for Link. He vowed to Link that if he took care of it, he'd let Link outright buy it. Ravio was ecstatic when he saw Link take out the Leaf Rod that he found in the Wind Temple. For this, he was willing to let Link outright purchase it for 400 Rupees. Link, obviously did not have the money. Instead, he solely rented the **Grappling Hook **and **Ice Rod**. After paying for the rentals, Link continued to the Potion Shop, and was offered a free Empty Bottle to be filled with any potion he desired – the Red Potion, Blue Potion, or Green Potion. Link wisely chose the **Blue Potion**. Being down to only 20 Rupees, Link knew he was done in Castle Town. He'd be coming back with more money after visiting the Gorons. After all, Tingle's Magical Item Upgrade Shop piqued his interest tremendously. Link left Castle Town in search of Zelda.

**YOU GOT THE RED TUNIC!  
**_This special tunic has been crafted with fire resistance in mind! Keep cool from the fire with this!_

**YOU RENTED THE GRAPPLING HOOK!  
**_This item has a multitude of uses! You'll find the most use for latching onto objects, but you can steal certain treasures from enemies with it, too!_

**YOU RENTED THE ICE ROD!  
**_Use this to freeze stuff! Pretty self-explanatory, right? Just make sure you watch your Magic Meter!_

**YOU GOT THE BLUE POTION!  
**_Although this is the one of the priciest potions, you might find it to be the most useful! This potion fills all of your hearts, unlike Red Potion! Plus, your Magic Meter gets temporarily extended! Awesome, right?!_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link marches out back, and moves the leaves that covers the ground. He has a general idea of where to look, but autumn has covered the land of Hyrule even more since their last encounter. After a good while of searching, he finds the secret hatch, and climbs down the staircase until he is inside the __**Hyrule Thoroughfare**__. Link looks for Zelda through the darkness. Eventually, he finds her. She is wearing her black cloak. And she is crying a little, and shivering._ _Link walks up to Zelda. She jumps and turns around with a sword in hand. She is unaware of the possible intruder, until she notices the face. She wipes her tears._

Zelda – Link! You came back! I'm sorry. I was worried. So, tell me about what you learned in your adventure so far.

_Time passes on._

Zelda – I see. The ancient demons. How interesting. And this Sheik you speak of… She was a good friend of mine, let's say. You don't need to worry about her, Link. She'll be fine. Sheik is strong. I know how hard it can be to lose someone you care very deeply about. So, whenever you return to the past, make sure you keep her spirits up. But don't work too hard. You're mine!

_She giggles._

Zelda – Go on. Save Hyrule in both our times. That's why everyone loves you so much. You're strong and courageous. They all look up to you, because they depend on you. _I_ depend on you! You even killed Ganondorf and Zant! Okay, fine. Midna killed Zant, but still. You're the Hero of Hyrule. You're everyone's hero in this world. Worry about the people's safety as a whole. Don't just waste your time down here! Go! Stop the Interlopers before it's too late! I'll be waiting for you here when you need me! You certainly don't need me now, do you?

_She hugs Link, gives him a kiss on the cheek, and then pushes him in the direction he came. Link returns to Hyrule above. The player is given control upon return. _

The travel through Hyrule continued as Link made his way to **Kakariko Village**. As Link and Epona galloped their way there, Link immediately realized how much time had gone by. It was nightfall already. The blue sky had already gone dark. The animals had already fled, while more of the enemies emerged. Link wanted to slash most of them dead, but he couldn't. His sword remained with the blacksmiths. Luckily for him, he was already getting tired. He had a very long day. Upon arrival to Kakariko Village, Link found the place to be absolutely still. Murmurs could be heard, but overall, the village was quite peaceful. Link stopped by Barnes' Bomb Shop. It was open 24 hours. Link spent his last 20 Rupees on refilling his Bomb Bag. He then popped by the Stock Pot Inn, where he found an open room, and spent the night there. Link woke up the next morning revitalized. He was ready for his next adventure through Death Mountain – wherever it might take him. Link left the inn, and made a brief visit to Renado. She was happy to see Link again. It had been so long since they last interacted. Shortly after, Link departed the desolate village, and returned to Hyrule Field with Epona. He hurried back to the cottage to get his upgraded sword. It was quite a distance from Kakariko Village. Hyrule Field was huge, so it took a while to get there. But when he did, Link was happy with the results. And so, too, were the blacksmiths, Zubora and Gabora.

_An interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Zubora – That's the best we can upgrade your weapon, but if you ever get hold of that mystical Master Sword, and you bring me some Master Ore, we might be able to craft the greatest sword around! Do come back if that happens! Though, probably not, right? Ha!

Link returned outside, and joined Epona on a journey back to Kakariko Village. As they galloped their way back, clouds began to infest the sky. Dark clouds. It looked like it was going to rain at some point. This did not concern Link. He continued his way back, and killed any enemies, which stood in his way, with his **Mighty Steel Blade**. It wasn't before long that he had returned to Kakariko Village. He made his way past all of the desolate parts, and then began to travel up **Death Mountain Trail**. Though, the area was unsafe for Link's trusty steed. He dismounted, and left Epona behind, during the travel up the trail to the dangerous volcano. The trail up that day was unheard of for **Death Mountain**. It was calm. There were no crazy eruptions going on, like the last time. The entire area was still. The trail was also known as **Goron Village**, since the Gorons lived along either sides of the path to the Death Mountain. Those that lived there were either bathing in the hot springs below, or were enjoying the quiet in their homes. Link continued his way up to the top, where it led him directly in front of the volcano. He had a gaze up. He raised his left hand into the air to protect his eyes from the strong light. There was something blocking the caldera. Nothing could emerge and erupt. Link switched on his Red Tunic, and then took out his Grappling Hook. He was ready to climb Death Mountain.

Link climbed onto the metal railing at the end of the trail, across from the entrance to Gor Coron's home. With his Grappling Hook, Link latched onto the volcano, after spinning it around. With both hands he held onto the rope. His whole body swung toward it. Link firmly planted his feet along the side of the volcano. He then began climbing it; slowly and carefully using the Grappling Hook to reach the summit. Upon arrival, Link found a safe spot. He did not need the Grappling Hook from that spot, but he kept it wrapped around him and planted into the volcano, in case of a precaution. Link had become a mountain climber. Or rather, a volcano climber. Link took a closer inspection at the caldera, when he realized the blockage was yet another Time Block. Expected. Link took out his ocarina, and played the _Song of Time_. The Time Block disappeared into the air, with only remnants of a brief blue glow. Link had access to the second temple of his Master Sword acquisition. But, because of the earlier blockage, the volcano was finally free. Link could not, in fact, access the temple. The volcano began to shake tremendously. Link was hanging for dear life on his Grappling Hook. He grabbed onto the rope the moment the rumbling began. It rumbled more and more. Link's hands slipped down the rope. And right as the giant eruption started, Link fell all the way down Death Mountain, and landed within the hot spring moat. The absurdly long fall, from high elevation into a hot spring at the base of the volcano, caused Link to lose consciousness. He had passed out.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Time passes on._

_Link's eyes open as he awakes in Gor Coron's bed._

Gor Coron – Hey, you're awake! Last time you were looking out for me, now I'm looking out for you!

_Link smiles, and gets out of bed._

Gor Coron – A couple of Gorons saw you fly right out of the sky! They brought you here! I thought it was a crazy story when they told me that, but I guess it's true! You, Brother, are going to need a better shield to survive her wrath. Luckily, with my old age, I have no more need for this. So, it's yours! You helped both our village and Kakariko Village in a time of need, so I couldn't think of a more deserving person than you! Take it, Brother!

**YOU GOT THE FIRE SHIELD!  
**_If you are assaulted with a fiery attack, and you're defending yourself with this, fight back with the fire they gave you! It has become your weapon!_

_Link nods, and then leaves Gor Coron's house. He climbs Death Mountain again, and then skydives through the caldera; through the darkness. The player is given control upon visibility of lava._

Out came the Ice Rod just in the nick of time. Link froze the surrounding lava upon arrival in the past. The darkness, which Link had just travelled through, indicated the travel through time. As he walked around the icy platform, Link searched for a way to progress, but nothing was clear. The ice began to crack. Link used his Ice Rod once more. After its second use, Link noticed a circumferential crevice around the border of the volcano. Link crawled through, and found himself back outside the volcano. He noticed another crevice below. With his Grappling Hook, like climbed down the volcano, and made his way into a rather large room. He looked up, but it was dark. Very dark. Then, suddenly, a giant snake slithered down toward Link. With the ruby-protected tip of her tail, the snake tried to attack Link, but he got out of the way in time. But not _too_ far out of the way. A circular hole was created along most of the floor. Link fell a very large distance down the volcano, and landed on a round platform made of steel-plated molten rock. Around him was a giant moat of lava. Link looked up. More platforms, of the same material, emerged from the right side of the walls, and locked into the left side. This material also covered the hole that the snake made – albeit divided into two, and locked. The crevices along the outside were also filled in with this steel-plated molten rock material. Link had just journeyed his way into the **Earth Temple.**

Lava was all around, and Link was standing in the center of it. The closest platform above was still very high up. Link wondered how he might venture further up. He gazed around in search of a solution, but nothing seemed obvious. Link was getting low on Arrows. He had forgotten to purchase more, and fill up his quiver. He tried a Bomb Arrow on one of the sides of the volcano. A path opened to him. With his Ice Rod, he created paths out of the volcano, and then used his Grappling Hook to climb higher. He wondered how he might get back inside on another level; considering he was attached to the mountain. Link tried to make sure he was as secure as possible, and then withdrew his bow. From a relatively safe distance below, Link blasted open an entrance to the second floor of the temple. About to slip, Link grabbed onto the ledge, and climbed up. A teleportation platform awaited him at the center of the platform. At either sides were large gaps where Link might fall, or lava might rise. Link teleported to the fifth floor of the temple. There, he saw a heavy block somewhat off-center on the platform. Link lifted it up, and found that the block had been holding down a switch. Releasing it allowed for the lava to rise to the second floor. Link returned there. The volcano began to rumble. Link looked down at the lava beneath him. Something was swimming up. It emerged, and began to fly above Link. It was a giant bat – a **Mega Fire Keese**. The bat shot a large fireball from its mouth. Link used his new shield to protect himself with, and then retort. A giant blast of fire—the same amount found within the fireball he received—was shot at the Mega Fire Keese. After stunning it, Link used his Ice Rod to freeze the bat. He then slashed away until the ice shattered. Once the giant bat had been free, a swarm of normal-sized Keese filled the room. Link slashed away at them all, while the giant one tried again to attack Link with fire, but Link repeated the same strategy. A quarter of the Keese had been killed by fire, while the giant one had only been stunned. Link froze the bat once again, and then slashed away. Before needing to battle another swarm of Keese, Link pierced his sword through the stomach of the giant one. Blood was painted on Link's sword. The Mega Fire Keese was dead. It fell into the ocean of lava, and drowned. Shortly thereafter, the platforms suddenly began to turn vertical. Link noticed the platforms had silver latches on them. He used his Grappling Hook to climb up to the seventh floor.

Upon reaching the seventh floor of the dungeon, the platforms all suddenly flipped. Link was not expecting this, and, as such, he fell through the gaps of the platforms, and landed on the fourth floor. Link wasn't too far from the boss. She was up on the eighth floor. But Link needed the Boss Key _and_ to have the lava be on level with the seventh floor. He was getting there. Slowly, but surely. Again, Link tried Bombing his way through the wall. Luckily, some pots and skulls were awaiting him on the fourth floor platform, and some of them withheld Arrows. Link was fine for a while. The platforms held some sort of magnetism, it appeared. Link travelled down to the third floor, where he used his Bomb Arrow mechanic to make another entrance. There, a switch awaited him. He stepped on it, and the lava rose upward to him. But before he could decide what to do next, a swarm of Keese surrounded him. He slashed away at all of them until the lava became a home to bat particles. After killing all the Keese, the large chest, containing the Boss Key, magically appeared attached to the underside of the platform on the fourth floor. Link had to decide how to proceed next. He wondered how he might be able to make all the platforms switch again. The last miniboss fight certainly allowed it. So, maybe that might happen again. Link returned outside, and began climbing his way up. And as he did, Death Mountain began to rumble once more. It was getting worse. As he was approaching the fifth floor, a segment of the wall on the sixth blasted open. This nearly gave Link a heart attack! He climbed up to find out what was going on. Suddenly, the lava rose all the way up to the sixth floor, and a large turtle swam up with him. It was Link's duty to defeat the Bomb** Snapper**.

The large turtle began by snapping at Link. He side-jumped and rolled out of the way. Link then tried freezing it with his Ice Rod, but the Bomb Snapper shattered the ice with its Bomb blast attack. Once free, the turtle swam back down the ocean of lava. Link wondered how he might catch the turtle. Catch? The fishing rod! Link took out his fishing rod, and casted it into the lava. A while later, he had caught it. Link reeled the turtle in, and then stabbed it in the stomach while in mid-air. The Bomb Snapper was not very happy. It began snapping at Link even more. It was a lot more difficult for Link to dodge that time. Once he had a clear shot, Link used his Ice Rod to freeze the turtle, but the turtle broke free again. It then began firing Bomb blasts from its mouth at Link. He tried his best to dodge those. After a while, the Bomb Snapper swam back down into the lava. Link used his fishing rod again, caught the turtle, and then stabbed it in the stomach. The turtle then began spinning around, and fired Bomb blasts from its mouth in all directions. Link defended himself with his Fire Shield. Once the turtle finally took a quick break, Link used his Ice Rod once more. He was getting worried of his low Magic Meter. He had hoped he had enough yet for the rest of the fight, and the rest of the temple. He wanted to save his Blue Potion. All of a sudden, the volcano began to rumble again. Even more than before, actually. The Bomb Snapper had already broken free from its icy imprisonment. The lava began to bubble and boil. Link was scared. Then, he watched as the platforms began to move. Quickly, he used his Grappling Hook to latch onto the one above. Link climbed up the vertical platforms, and so, too, did the turtle. It was right behind Link. And simultaneously, the lava began to rise. Just as before—upon reaching the top—the platforms suddenly began to flip. But Link was prepared that time. He hung on for dear life, while the Bomb Snapper fell down. It was about to land in the lava, which had stopped rising. Link had his moment. The turtle was upside down. Link stabbed it one final time, and the Bomb Snapper was dead. Once the terror had ceased, the lava returned to the fourth floor. Link made his way back down there. The chest was accessible. He opened it, and acquired the Boss Key. Despite that the key was his, there was still the matter of raising the level of lava to the seventh floor. A teleportation platform suddenly appeared next to the chest. Link walked up to it, and was taken to the seventh floor. He used the key on the platform door above, but he didn't have a way to get up. There was nothing to latch onto. Before even attempting to do anything, all the platforms below—including the one Link was standing on—shattered and crumbled to bits. Link was suddenly falling an immensely great distance. He tried to move over to the side with the Bombed walls, so that he could grab on. He nearly missed them all, but the last one saved him. He noticed the round platform at the bottom was still there. He jumped down. At least it was a much safer distance to jump from there, than all the way at the top. Upon landing, the volcano began to rumble. An eruption underneath the platform of steel-plated molted rock occurred, and Link was taken directly into the boss chamber.

_A brief cutscene occurs._

_The colossal snake slithers down from the darkness above once again. She comes into very close contact with Link. Before licking him, the platform, on which Link is stepping on, suddenly drops back into its former position. The gigantic snake slithers her way into the main portion of the temple. An arduous battle against Queen Vipevol begins._

"_MAGMA GABONICA: __**QUEEN VIPEVOL**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

As easily indicated by the ruby-protected tip of the snake's tail, Link knew exactly how to slay the monster. It was just a matter of figuring out how to get to her. Eruptions were not entirely reliable. Instead, Link tried getting to her from the outside. He had a hunch about something. Link used his Blue Potion to regain hearts, magic, and little extra magic. He then used his Ice Rod to reach the first exit he made, and the Grappling Hook to climb the side of Death Mountain. Upon reaching the top of the lower half of the volcano—the seventh floor—Link wriggled through the crevice he Bombed. Just in time, the eruption occurred. There was a latch on the underside of the platform. Link used his Grappling Hook to dangle off it, and jump onto the colossal snake, but not before freezing her. He crawled his way up her tail, and slashed away at the tip of her tail. Once she had realized what Link had been doing, Queen Vipevol shook him off. Link managed to get onto the platform, as it plunged back down to its normal position. How the snake had avoided it both times made Link curious. Again, he made his way to the outer region of Death Mountain, and climbed it to the seventh floor. The eruption came just in time. However, the snake managed to get caught between the ceiling and the platform. Link slashed away at the ruby-protected tip of her tail until it shattered of completely. The steel-plated molten rock platform then began to plunge back down. Link jumped onto it right in time. Meanwhile, Queen Vipevol had been screeching in pain. To make sure she was safe, barriers of the same material covered all the Bombed walls. The only option Link had was to ride the central eruption. But the colossal snake was prepared to kill Link her gigantic body. Link froze her at the last minute, and then used a Bomb Arrow. Queen Vipevol was nearly dead. Link returned back down to the platform's normal position. Suddenly, the lava began to bubble and boil again. The volcano began to rumble tremendously. Giant eruption time. Link was very cautious when the entire ocean of lava rose to the top of the lower half of Death Mountain. Queen Vipevol managed to dodge Link's expected attacks, and this resulted in him being in the boss chamber proper. Luckily for Link, her tail was stuck in the gap the platform made. Link finished her off with the help of lava.

_A cutscene ensues._

_The volcanic drink fills the colossal snake's lungs into a double attack of death. The platform of steel-plated molten rock releases her tail as it descends back to its regular position, as did the rest of the lava in the temple. Queen Vipevol falls a very great distance to her death, where she dies deep beneath the ocean of lava. She explodes shortly thereafter. A giant, circular red portal—with a Goron Ruby symbol emblazoned at the center—appears where the hole once stood. The __**Heart Container, **__which her body leaves behind, soars up and beyond Link. It seems to hover in the darkness above. With his Grappling Hook, Link can bring it down into his hands. The player is then given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link steps into the light, but before teleporting elsewhere – somebody else teleports to Link's location. It is Laruto, the Earth Sage. She speaks with Link._

Laruto – Greetings, Hero. I am Laruto. A pleasure to meet the new – you. Hyrule has gone into despair, you may have noticed. Our world has lacked a Hero for quite some time now. Perhaps you can amend that? The people of Hyrule can't survive with one of your bravery and courage. You matter to them. You are important to them. If you leave them behind, all hope is lost for our people. Take a look at the world around you! Everything has changed and rot. The people live and breathe on the hope and courage of the Hero. I realize how hard such a giant burden can be on you. But we hope it'll pay off in the end. You are the people's light, and you must guard them from the shadows.

_Link nods and smiles._

Laruto – I am going to teach you a new melody. If you ever wish to return to the Gorons, Death Mountain, or even Kakariko Village – you may find this useful.

_She takes out her lyre. Link takes out his ocarina right after._

Laruto – This is the _**Bolero of Fire**_. Pay close attention.

**YOU LEARNED THE BOLERO OF FIRE!  
**_With this, you are able to teleport just outside of Gor Coron's house! Quite the time saver, huh? _

_They put their instruments away._

Laruto – Promise me you'll take good care of the people, and of Zelda during this time of despair, okay?

_Link feels something. He gazes down at his left hand, and notices a yellow triangular glow along the location of the Triforce of Power. He then turns entirely red, and disappears._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Oni is awakening as Sheik. This awakening is shown from a first person perspective._

Oni – Where the hell am I now?!

Twili Interloper 3 – You're within the sacred Temple of Light, Master. This body you're in – I've never seen it before. I do not recognize this masked person.

Oni – Masked? Well then, _take it off!_

Twili Interloper 1 – Here, I'll do it.

_The fabric comes off by the hand of the Interloper_

Oni – Well?

Twili Interloper 1 – I don't— I don't know, milord! This figure is still unknown to my memory!

Twili Interloper 2 – Perhaps some kind of wizardry was used? Nobody as normal-looking as this would be standing in the Temple of Time!

Oni – Take this blade and kill this pathetic fool.

_He takes out Sheik's Regal Blade from her thigh sheath, and gives it to one of the Interlopers._

Twili Interloper 3 – Are you ready?

Oni – Of course.

_He goes to jab the blade into Sheik's stomach, but Oni feels something within him at the last minute. He grabs the blade at the last moment, and pushes it to the side._

Oni – Wait!

_He turns around and notices the glass-sealed Goron Ruby has begun to glow. So, too, is the Triforce of Power, on the large Triforce symbol, above the Door of Time._

Oni – Hmph! One step closer!

_Sheik regains control._

**ACT V – Sapphire**

_**Acts III, IV, and V can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by Sheik. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these three acts.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link slowly descends to the earth, wrapped inside a transparent red crystal. This crystal disappears as he lands. The camera rotates around Link into the proper third person angle. The player is given control upon landing._

Link arrived at the top of Goron Village (Death Mountain Trail), in front of Gor Coron's house. He knew he had only one Spiritual Stone left to reactivate, but he did not know where the location of the third temple might be. There were various options, of course. Before making any journey into the Lanayru province, Link made his way down Death Mountain Trail, and back to Kakariko Village. Epona awaited him. Link climbed on, and made his way out of Kakariko. But not before re-stocking on Bombs. Barnes made him an offer, since Link was such a common customer. For half-price, he would offer Link a **Big Bomb Bag**. An upgrade to his standard one. Link paid the 40 Rupees, and received his new bag. It was packed full with the ten additional Bombs the standard Bomb Bag could not carry. Link then left the village on Epona's back as they galloped back to Castle Town. He had acquired enough Rupees from his journey through the Eldin province to rent the rest of the items Ravio had in stock. The **Boomerang** and the **Fire Rod**. By that point, he was 140 Rupees down. He wished he could carry more, as his pouch was always full after a dungeon. Pots, grass, enemies, and hidden chests throughout Hyrule gave him that full pouch of 300 Rupees. He needed a bigger one. Luckily, Link had just enough money to purchase the two items that he knew he'd need for Lanayru's temple. He needed something so that he'd be able to swim. At Tingle's Clothing Shop, the place he had entered before, Link had the option between purchasing the **Blue Tunic** or the Sacred Water Dragon's Scale. Both of which had the same features, so it was up to Link to decide whether to buy an accessory, or a new piece of clothing to wear. With the new tunic and the **Iron Boots** he needed to make quick dives with, Link spent all of his money. He left Castle Town for Lake Hylia through the same cliff he used at the beginning of his journey.

**YOU RENTED THE BOOMERANG!  
**_This crafty item lets you stun enemies, target objects, and deliver moveable objects to a different location! Just lock on to the object, and then lock on to where you want to send it! Simple, right? And useful, too!_

**YOU RENTED THE FIRE ROD!  
**_Swing this rod in the direction you desire, and a whirlwind of fire will emerge! Good for dealing damage or lighting torches! Try it out yourself! But be careful not to burn yourself!_

**YOU GOT THE BLUE TUNIC!  
**_This cool, refreshing article of clothing allows you to freely swim underwater as you so please. No more fear of drowning!_

**YOU GOT THE IRON BOOTS!  
**_Need to quickly plunge to the bottom of a body of water? These heavy boots will surely prove useful!_

Down he dove, out of southernmost Hyrule Castle Town, and into Lake Hylia. Link had no idea where he was going, so he figured he'd just go with the flow, and solve the problem along the way. The first place Link looked was inside the **Great Spirit Shrine**, where the spirit of Lanayru rested. However, all the guardians of Hyrule had left. They used the last of their powers with Zelda and Midna. Zelda asked for their gift of light in her hour of darkness against Ganondorf. The four spirits of Hyrule used a large portion of their power to grant Zelda the use of Light Arrows. She used all four Arrows to weaken Ganondorf during her horseback battle with Link. Though, this was not all the power they had left. They withheld a small portion of their spiritual power, and used it on the tremendously-weakened Twilight Princess. She had used a large amount of her Fused Shadow ancestral magic inside Hyrule Castle before Ganondorf seemingly killed her. But he had not. A small fraction of her true power remained, and the spirits expelled the dark curse Ganondorf had placed upon her. She was no longer an imp. She was a tall figure of beauty. She was the true, humanoid form of the Twilight Princess. The Great Spirits had no more power after that. They disappeared into the sky after Ganondorf's death and Midna's re-awakening. They never returned again. Ordona, Faron, Lanayru, and Eldin had existed for millennia. The latter three existed in a life prior as giant dragons. They were the guardians of Hyrule before it even was _"Hyrule"_. Back then, it was _"the surface"_. The people at that time lived above the clouds. Shad, one of the philosophers of The Resistance, shared this knowledge with Link prior to his trip to the City in the Sky. The people who lived there had transformed into Oocca by that point. Link spent his time swimming to the shrine by reminiscing of these things. Upon arriving to some land, he climbed up, and walked over. When he entered, he gazed from the cliff into the large pool of water. It looked very mystical and sparkly. He wondered what had happened to such a place. A sign just outside of the shrine stated, _"Be explosive and honest, and you shall be rewarded"_. Link wondered about the significance of such a sign. Curious, he tossed a Water Bomb into the water. A Water Bomb? Interesting. Barnes had filled his new larger sack with Water Bombs instead! How lovely and helpful! After realizing this, a voice from under the water emerged.

**YOU GOT THE WATER BombS!  
**_Unlike the standard ones, these Water Bombs still work underwater! Specially crafted from the elusive Bombfish themselves! _

Great Fairy – Was that you who placed a Bomb inside my fountain, and rudely awakened me from my slumber?

_Yes.  
No._

Great Fairy – Thank you for your honesty.

_She splashes her way out of the water, and spins her tremendously-long pink hair around as she twirls in circles._

Great Fairy – I am one of the Great Fairies of Hyrule. For being so kind and honest, I will grant you a wish. Pick wisely.  
_More Bombs, please.  
A larger quiver would be nice.  
A Piece of Heart if you've one laying around, maybe?_

Great Fairy – The quiver, huh? Well, alright.

_She raises her arms high in the air. The shrine shines extremely brightly. Link shields his eyes._

Great Fairy – Here you go!

_Link is handed a larger quiver._

**YOU GOT THE LARGE QUIVER!  
**_Guess what? Your Arrow capacity has increased to 30! Go blind some Eyegore or something._

Great Fairy – And you know what? For being so cute and adorable, I'll give you this Piece of Heart. You'll need it on your adventure!

_Link is given the Piece of Heart. Depending on the amount that has been collected so far in the journey, he may have an extra Heart Container now._

Great Fairy – Come back here if you're ever feeling weary!

_She fills up any empty Heart Containers and the Magic Meter. She then twirls down under the fountain. Link leaves the shrine a happier man. The player is then given control._

Link walked down the wooden path, and over to Fyer's cannon. He wondered if he needed to use it. He then remembered about Plumm's bird-riding fruit minigame. He figured the temple might be somewhere along Zora's River. With the few Rupees he collected along the way, he paid the fee, and was greeted by a Kargorok. Grabbed by the talons, Link soared out of Lake Hylia, and into the deep, dark caves. Collecting as many floating fruit as possible, Link did decently well with the minigame, and ended up winning a Silver Rupee. Being in **Upper Zora's River**, with an additional 100 Rupees in his pouch, Link made his way through the next set of caves to **Zora's Domain**. He figured he'd speak with Prince Ralis. Upon reaching the other side, Link found himself at the base of the giant pond where the large waterfall flowed down from. The top of that waterfall was Link's destination. Quite a number of Zora were swimming around, and enjoying their nice autumn day. The sky was bright; no clouds were in the sky, and the view from the open ceiling above was just beautiful overall. Hyrule Castle was missing from that picture. It was strange to not see it after Link's last adventure through the area. One of the Zora, who was swimming closer to the waterfall, offered to Link help up. With her elegant swimming abilities, they rode up the waterfall to the central part of Zora's Domain. The current wasn't as strong in the throne room. Down there it was worse, since the river separated into two different locations at a very fast pace, and Link had been swimming in the opposite direction from one of those strong currents. Upper Zora's River was one of the directions in which the current was divided. However, Link did not have to worry about that up in the throne room. If Link was snoopy enough, he'd find a hidden treasure chest behind the throne. Inside it was some **Master Ore**. He asked Prince Ralis, who was sitting on the throne, if he knew the whereabouts of the temple where he had to go.

_A cutscene ensues._

Ralis – Link! It's been so long! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever! How have you been?

_Time passes on._

Ralis – I see. The shadows will be threatening our home soon. How frightening. Is there any way my people and I can help?

_Link nods._

Ralis – A temple? Hmm… let me think. Ah! Perhaps you need to see the one my mother and father once spoke of? They once had a place of hope. The Zora could go there and pray to the goddesses. But once evil befell the world, their temple went corrupt. Our waters were dried throughout all of Hyrule, and this very place was frozen entirely. It was you who unthawed it one hundred years later. There is a passage to the past at the bottom of the waterfall. Under the current is where you'll find it. Look carefully.

_Link smiles and nods. The player is then given control._

The dive back down the waterfall began. Link used his Iron Boots to reach the ground, all the way at the bottom. The river was extremely deep. Boulders were scattered in various places. Exploding them would bring about a nice amount of Rupees. As Link walked and swam around, he eventually came across a Time Block. It was under the ground in such a way that made the entire bottom even. Link took off his Iron Boots, and swam back up to the top. He found the closest platform to the Time Block, and then played the _Song of Time_. The block disappeared, and left behind a faint blue light, just like the last two. Link put his Iron Boots back on, and plunged all the way below, and into the darkness. Time had reverted during the fall, just as it did before. After a long dive down, Link arrived in a giant puddle of near-frozen water. It was very cold. He shivered as he got out, and then found a very large door in front of him. He opened it. Link had arrived at the **Glacier Temple**. His adventure to reactivating the Spiritual Stone of Water would begin. While looking around, Link found some interesting features. He felt as though he was inside a giant, rectangular pool. The ceiling above him was made of steel. At the center of the temple was a large tower. Link walked over to it, and entered through the door. This tower was the main hub of the temple. The boss door was on the ceiling all the way at the top, beyond the seventh floor. Link realized he had to raise the water level, but he didn't know how. He looked around for a switch, but nothing was visible. He noticed how there were short, square ledges at various points on the tower. He made the assumption these the various floors he could access once he had the water level raised correctly. The ground beneath him didn't seem very sturdy, compared to the steel ceiling outside. He took out a Water Bomb, and blasted the floor open. Of course, though, he defended himself with his shield to avoid injury from the explosion. The water from below suddenly gushed out, and Link rode it up to the fourth floor. He exited out the door, and walked along the steel ground. Pots were scattered all over, but nothing too interesting. A group of Keese were resting on the walls. Those that flew toward him, Link killed with his sword. Otherwise, he used his Boomerang. Link returned inside the tower, and wondered what he had to do next.

A curious thought came about. Link wondered if he could go beyond the floor he blasted open. With his Iron Boots, Link dropped through the water, and deep into the darkness below. He had entered a dark pool of water. Almost an aquarium of darkness. The entire area shook. But Link could not see anything – until a light glimmered in the distance. He had a closer look, and realized he had stepped foot into the home of an **Angler Fish**. Link had absolutely no idea what to do, and so, he tried to take out the light from the lantern with his Boomerang. Once the lantern had been rid of light, the Angler Fish was not very happy with the human. It charged straight for Link, but he got out of the way. The giant fish slammed its head into the wall. Link withdrew his sword, and slashed away. After it had enough, the Angler Fish turned around, trying to chomp away at Link's flesh, and swam back to where it was before. Out from its mouth, the Angler Fish infested the darkened basin of water with a family of Bombfish. They all swarmed toward Link. If he was careful enough, Link could use his Boomerang to target a single Bombfish, and cause an implosion within the Angler Fish's mouth. This angered the giant fish. Again, it charged toward Link. He dodged out of the way, and then slashed away once it hit its head on the wall. The Angler Fish had had enough. It swam toward Link in a curved fashion. It tried to rid him of his flesh with its giant teeth, but Link stayed out of its way; letting the fish swam back into the darkness. But that time, it kept its lantern off. Link had a difficult time finding the fish in the pool. Just as before, a large amount of Bombfish infested the water, and swam toward Link. With his Boomerang, Link targeted one of them, but was unable to target the Angler Fish, as he didn't know where it was. The Bombfish exploded upon impact; injuring Link. Again, he tried, and was successful. The angry Angler Fish charged straight for Link. Once he dodged, and it hit the wall, Link slashed away repeatedly until it was killed. The room suddenly got brighter, and all the Bombfish exploded themselves to death. A teleportation platform appeared by the giant fish's hiding spot. With his Iron Boots, Link marched over, and was taken to the second floor. More Keese and more pots awaited him. After ridding the area of both, Link walked around in search of a switch. He found one on the ceiling, opposite the side of the entrance-side of the tower. With his Boomerang, Link activated the switch.

The water inside the tower suddenly rushed up to the fifth floor. Link walked around, and back inside. The speed of the current thrust Link up there. Once he reached the top, he noticed the door was locked. He needed a key, but he didn't know where to go. He couldn't go through any of the doors below, since he couldn't open a door while underwater. His only option was to go back to the miniboss room. He plunged down there with his Iron Boots. Since the area was brighter, Link finally noticed the small holes in the ground. The gushes of water originated from below. He didn't know how they might help him. Around the area he looked – until he noticed a well-hidden switch inside one of those holes. He hit it with his Boomerang. The fans from all of the holes suddenly spun around like crazy. The water pushed Link up to the third floor. He exited through the door, and was greeted by a swarm of Ice Keese. Link had never seen such a great amount of them in one place. He had to be careful in killing them. If they touched him, he'd freeze temporarily. However, these were not the only enemies in the area. There were a number of Aquoroks scattered across the steel ground. They shot spheres of water at Link. They were rather harmful. With his sword and shield, Link killed all the enemies on the third floor. This success was celebrated with a treasure chest that magically appeared. Link walked over to it, and opened the chest. A Small Key awaited him. With it, he returned to the miniboss room, and used the teleportation platform to give him access to the second floor again. Link located the switch once more, and used his Boomerang to activate it. Upon re-entering the tower, he was brought back to the fifth floor. With the key, Link unlocked the door. He had entered the colder part of the temple. Each floor up would be progressively colder.

The steel ground was rather slippery. Freezards were moving their way along it, while Stalactites fell from the ceiling above whenever Link slid his way below them. With his Fire Rod and Mighty Steel Blade, Link destroyed all the Freezards. By rolling and sliding, all the Stalactites shattered upon touching the ground at a fast pace. A switch was hidden within those Stalactites, in one of the corners of the room on the ceiling. Link used his Boomerang to activate it. He returned inside the tower. The strong current of water pushed him up to the seventh floor. Link exited the tower. As he did, a pack of three White Wolfos came from both sides, around the corner, and were ready to eat Link for dinner. They attacked with their sharp claws. Link used his Fire Rod to weaken them with, his sword to kill them with, and his shield to defend himself with. It was a tough battle, but Link made it through, and rid the area of the three snowy wolves. He then began looking around. Link figured out how to bring the water level up to the top-most floor, but he didn't have the Boss Key. The chest was nowhere to be found, no matter how hard Link looked. He returned to the door, but it locked before his very eyes. He turned around. Link heard something in the distance. A bouncing elephant seal approached him. Link hoped the fight wouldn't be too damaging before the boss battle. With his sword and shield in hand, Link fought the **Slippseal**. It was approaching. Link was in danger from the strong ripples of wind the bouncing seal produced. Dealing with the already-slippery ground, Link slid away from the Slippseal in a circular motion around the tower. It began shooting balls of ice at him, which Link tried his best to avoid. After shooting about a dozen or so, the Slippseal suddenly stopped, and briefly slid on the ground. Link turned around, and used his Fire Rod. He was nearing an empty Magic Meter. The giant elephant seal tilted its head back for a moment. Its icy breath was making a sphere. It thrust its head forward, and a giant ball of ice was thrown toward Link. He defended himself, luckily, with his trusty Fire Shield. But something was happening to it. The red border on the front of the shield turned a chilling silver. His shield had altered forms.

**YOU GOT THE ICE SHIELD!  
**_If you've an ice attack heading your way, hit 'em back with the same size ice attack of your own!_

With his transformed Ice Shield, Link blasted a large charge of ice at the Slippseal. It froze. Link took out a Water Bomb, and tossed it at the seal. The ice shattered into bits. The circular bouncing and sliding continued. Link tried his best to avoid the Slippseal. He did not want to suddenly jump into the air, nor be hit by several balls of ice. Once the large elephant seal had thrown a good amount of ice balls, it stopped, and remained in one place. Link used the last bit of magic for a Fire Rod attack. He then his refilled bottle of Blue Potion, and was ready to fight again. During that time, a giant sphere of ice was already being hurled toward Link. Just in the nick of time, Link defended himself with his shield, and the blasted that same amount of damage at the Slippseal. Once again, he froze. Link used another Water Bomb to damage it further. Once the ice had been shattered, and the Slippseal emerged, a round of ice skating began. The large seal began sliding along the slippery ground at a very fast pace. If it encountered Link, it would quickly turn around, and slide in the opposite direction. Around and around it went, and Link chased after. Once he had slashed away enough times, the Slippseal cried numerous times, and then exploded into black particles. Simultaneously as the door unlocked, a large chest magically appeared on the sixth floor. Shortly after that, a teleportation platform, on the opposite side of the door, appeared. Link walked up to it, and was taken to the sixth floor. The large treasure chest awaited him around the corner. Link made his way over to it, and opened it. With the Boss Key in possession, Link returned to the seventh floor, and unlocked the ceiling boss door inside the tower. He noticed a switch inside the room. With his Boomerang, he activated it. The water lifted him up inside.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link is frightened when he realizes the colossal manta ray is right beside him. It charges for him, but swoops through the hole instead (the boss door). It down the tower. The walls of the tower slide all the way down – even beyond the darkness Link Bombed open. The circumferential steel platforms slide into the walls. The colossal manta ray enjoys the cool water, within the giant pool that the temple has created, while Link is cold up at the top. From his angle, it appears as though he is ice fishing._

"_GLACIAL MANTA BIRORSTRIS: __**GLACETA**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

Link wondered how his fishing rod might help in the fight. He took it out, and casted it down the hole. Not before long, the colossal manta ray had caught on. Link was able to reel Glaceta in, and so he did. However, not even after reeling for very long, the rod froze as a result from the manta ray's frigid breath. The strong Glaceta ended up reeling Link in instead. Through the hole he went. Thinking he might be able to get onto the colossal manta ray, Link put on his Iron Boots, and dropped a great distance to where Glaceta was swimming. However, from the strength it wielded, Link had lost the wonderful fishing rod that Colin had crafted for him so many months ago. This upset him greatly. He climbed onto the back of the manta ray as it swam around. He looked for the weak spot, but was unable to find it. Instead, he waited until Glaceta started tilting its body. Link crawled over to its underside, and found its sapphire-protected stomach. With his sword, Link tried his best to shatter the sturdy material until he was shaken off, and tossed back up to the boss room above. Suddenly, a giant amount of Bombfish escaped from Glaceta's mouth. The swarm began swimming toward Link. He used his Boomerang to target one, and have it make an impact inside the manta ray's mouth. This angered Glaceta immensely. It charged straight toward Link, while preparing a large sphere of ice to doubly attack with. He used his Ice Shield to defend himself with _and_ attack back with. The manta ray was briefly stunned. Link dropped a Water Bomb down the hole for another attack. It then began swimming around the pool in circles. Glaceta was mad. Its body was even turning icy. Link put his Iron Boots back on, and then plunged down the hole. Switching them on and off, Link tried his best to grab onto the back of the colossal manta ray. However, its body was very slippery. Link had a difficult time crawling around. He kept slipping – sometimes even falling off entirely! Time after time, Link tried until he was finally able to make his way onto Glaceta's underside. He slashed away at the sapphire protection until it shattered off completely, and Link was thrown back to the top. Again, Bombfish emerged from its mouth, and swam straight for Link. The same strategy was repeated. This included Glaceta charging right at Link after experiencing an implosion inside its mouth. With his Ice Shield, Link stunned the colossal manta ray once more after it had attacked him with a large ball of ice. This was followed by yet another Water Bomb. Glaceta was very frustrated and angry as it swam around in circles. Link used his Iron Boots to reach the waters below, attempt his very best to reach the manta ray's underside, and then use his sword to destroy Glaceta's vulnerable stomach to bits.

_A cutscene ensues. _

_As Glaceta swims around in circles while screaming, Link makes his way back up into the boss room. From the ledge of the hole, he watches the end result. Glaceta's body goes through some sort of trauma, due to the lack of stomach. Her entire body turns to ice, and then shatters along the ocean floor, within the darkness below. A giant, circular blue portal—with a Zora Sapphire symbol emblazoned at the center—appears where the hole once stood. A __**Heart Container **__soars upward, and rests where Link had first seen Glaceta. The player is then given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link steps into the light, but before teleporting elsewhere – somebody else teleports to Link's location. It is Sheik. She speaks with Link._

_OPTION A – If the player HASN'T completed the Earth Temple._

Sheik – Hey! Bet you were surprised to see me here! Listen, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done so far. You're everything I've hoped for as a successor to… him. I wish you could've met him. You could've learned a lot from him. I've always seen him as some sort of mentor. Perhaps he's still kicking around as a Stalfos? I hope he hasn't turned into a monster like the others. His heart is too kind and gentle. Ah, but enough about the past. I need to help you on your journey to ridding Hyrule of the demons, once they show. In case you need to quickly return to Zora's Domain, here's the _**Serenade of Water**_:

_She takes out her lyre. Link takes out his ocarina right after._

**YOU LEARNED THE SERENADE OF WATER!  
**_For quick teleportation to Zora's Domain, this song should serve useful! _

_They put their instruments away._

Sheik – Link, I'll see you again.

_Link feels something. He gazes down at his left hand, and notices a yellow triangular glow along the location of the Triforce of Wisdom. He then turns entirely blue, and disappears._

_OPTION B – If the player HAS completed the Earth Temple._

Sheik – Link! Link! The Interlopers have arrived! They were just in the Temple! They took control of my body, and—

_Link grabs her right shoulder._

Sheik – I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just— we're in danger. If you don't hurry up, we've lost this war before it would even begin. I do not know what they want. Only that they desire something of you. Please… hurry.

_Link pats her back, and quickly nods with a smile on his face; assuring her that everything will be okay._

Sheik – Alright. I have one last thing to do before you go. Here, listen to the _**Serenade of Water**_**.**

_She takes out her lyre. Link takes out his ocarina right after._

**YOU LEARNED THE SERENADE OF WATER!  
**_For quick teleportation to Zora's Domain, this song should serve useful! _

_They put their instruments away._

Sheik – Link, I'll see you again.

_Link feels something. He gazes down at his left hand, and notices a yellow triangular glow along the location of the Triforce of Wisdom. He then turns entirely blue, and disappears._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link slowly descends to the earth, wrapped inside a transparent blue crystal. This crystal disappears as he lands. The camera rotates around Link into the proper third person angle. The player is given control upon landing._

**ACT VI – The Clouds**

Clouds filled the sky of Hyrule that day. The world had trembled into its darkest hour since the days of Ganondorf's reign. Drenching the soil in its hydration, the pouring of rain occurred from the heavens. The villages and cottages of Hyrule had their roofs infested with several thousand droplets of water. As time went on, the birds chirped less and less. Little white pebbles melted instantly when they touched the ground. The lakes, rivers, and ravines were being filled with even more water. And as the seconds, minutes, and hours went by, the darkness from above never spread apart. The clouds lingered in the sky every hour of the day, and every hour of the night. Farmers and ranchers were getting worried of their crops and their animals. Especially those that enjoyed roaming around Hyrule Field at their free will. And the people of Hyrule were worried. All was not good in the land. As the passage of time continued on, and Link journeyed his way to the sacred Temple of Time, the rain never ceased. Hours and hours went by. _Still_ it continued on. Through a long, arduous travel, Link had found that the enemies of the world had fled. No more did they walk through the grass, or in the mountains, or soar through the sky. This frightened Link. Just as he, the people worried of Hyrule's fortune and future. They watched as their world darkened hour by hour; day by day; night by night. The clouds never scattered. The rain never stopped. The wind that howled, and made the autumn trees lose their leaves yet all too soon, caused the people to wonder what might happen next. The temperatures grew colder. And not even by the end of the summer, frost befell upon the province of Faron. The cold was expected to scatter, and worsen. Fall would eventually become a skipped season. And as Link continued through the howling, frigid woods to the Sacred Grove, the hours grew darker. The deeper through the wilderness he went, the colder, darker, windier, and wet it got. By the time he had reached the hidden area beyond the Forest Temple, a mix of rain and snow fell from the sky. The darkness from the night seemed to carry on into the day. The trees were being bent from the strong winds. Their branches were being pushed down by the heavy snow. Not even Skull Kid and his Puppets wanted to play. The land of Hyrule continued to grow colder. Winter was gradually spreading its way to the rest of the provinces. But the source clearly came from the direction Link was headed. Upon reaching the end of the labyrinth, where Skull Kid usually played his trumpet, the grass had been completely covered in heavy snow. The barren trees were clumped with it, too. Though it may have been pretty, this was completely uncommon for Hyrule to see. Both rain and snow still fell from the heavens. More and more came down. The clouds seemed to be filled with an endless supply of precipitation. Link walked through the Door of Time, and went into the past. He walked down the staircase where Sheik awaited him.

_A cutscene ensues._

Sheik – Link! You made it! Here, come with me.

_They walk over to the altar._

Sheik – With each temple you've battled through, the Spiritual Stones have reactivated! It must've been tough, I'm sure. I'd like to thank you for helping me. Before I open the door to the Master Sword, there's two other things I'd like to talk about. First, take a look at that Triforce logo above the door. All three triangles—Power, Wisdom, and Courage—glow golden. If this is correct with your left hand…

_Link raises his hand, and looks at it. The Triforce symbol glows._

Sheik - …Then, the goddesses have re-granted you access to the Triforce. After you've taken the Master Sword, you may be taken to a holy place. There, the magic of the golden goddesses will accept any wish you so desire. If you truly believe in the wish you make—and if you make the wish you deem perfect for your situation—our worlds of Hyrule might be free at last.

_Link smiles and nods._

Sheik – Lastly, I'm going to teach you one other song. Let's try to be quick, so that we can beat the Interlopers to their game.

_She takes out her lyre. Link takes out his ocarina right after._

Sheik – This is the _**Prelude of Light**_.

**YOU LEARNED THE PRELUDE OF LIGHT!  
**_Quickly return to the Temple of Time whenever you need to with this!_

Sheik – Alright. Let's get right to it.

_She opens the door._

Sheik – Go on! Claim your Master Sword!

_Link chuckles, and then begins walking. The player is given control until the point he presses the A-button prompt to 'Get the Master Sword'._

_A cutscene ensues. _

_Link takes the Master Sword out of its pedestal, and raises it high in the air. With a look of amazement and excitement on his face, he looks at the blade's beautiful shine. Never has he been happier than to have the legendary blade back in his possession. He brings the sword down, and performs a quick slashing dance of excitement. And as he finishes, he feels something within the sword. He brings it back into his vision. The sword suddenly turns black. The blade of evil's bane has transformed into the Dark Master Sword. Shocked, surprised, and scared, the sword falls out of his hand, and onto the ground. It lays angled, next to the pedestal. Thick black smoke emerges from the blade. Frightened, Link takes a few steps back, and trips down the stairs. The door behind him seals shut. The entire room becomes infested with the dark smog. Red eyes appear from it, and maniacal laughter erupts from the Dark Master Sword itself. The smoke enters Link's lungs. His vision starts to wane. Before passing out, he sees three black figures walk toward him. Twili Interlopers. The main one picks him up with its right hand, the demon picks Link up off the ground by the neck, and holds him against the door. Link falls into a coma the moment its left hand is raised for a red sphere of energy to emerge. The demon places a strong surge of dark magic into Link's body. Oni awakens. The Interlopers let go, and disappear. The black smoke goes away. The legendary blade returns to its normal colour. When Oni awakens, all appears normal. Except for the fact that the Master Sword is on the ground rather than in its pedestal. _

Oni – What's this? Has somebody been meddling with my affairs?

_He walks up the short staircase, and picks up the __**Master Sword**__._

Oni – Well, well! Looks like the Hero has run into some sort of trouble.

_He looks around if anyone else is there. He notices the door is sealed shut._

Oni – The door! Who the hell was here?! Link certainly could not have been alone in this chamber.

_He walks back down the stairs. The Interlopers from earlier follow._

Oni – To whoever did this: thank you for giving me my new blade, but I ask that you show yourself! I know that you're here! I can feel you in this very room! Are you perhaps… _behind me?!_

_He performs a 180-degree Spin Attack. The Interlopers briefly duck._

Oni – A-ha! _You _fools! Well… Thank you at least for your assistance.

_They bow before the Demon God._

All – Not a problem, Master!

Oni – I suppose you've made yourself quite the surprise for a return to _his_ life. I must ask you a favour: should _anyone_ meddle in my affairs, make sure they're dealt with immediately!

All – Yes, Master.

Oni – Ah, yes, and find my old body, should this current vessel cease to function. If you see the Goddess of Shadows, be sure to say _"hi"_ for me.

_He laughs sinisterly._

All – Of course! Thank you, Master!

_They disappear, and leave behind black square-shaped particles. Once they are gone, Oni makes a swipe motion, with his left hand, over the central platform of the room. The platform changes to a giant purple circle with a black border._

Oni – Goddesses! Hear that, which I desire!

_Through the wormhole; the portal, the Triforce rises. It hovers in front of Oni. He laughs maniacally, and then walks up to the Triforce. He places his hand on it._

_Blackout._

When Sheik had finally turned around, the door had been re-opened, but the demons were gone. Something was not right. She walked over, and had a look. The fortunate feeling she once displayed had fled. There was no more Link. There was no more Master Sword. There was no more Triforce to wish upon. All the factors of hope were gone. They had fallen into the hands of demons. This had all been planned out. Oni knew what he was doing. He had intentions; purposes; goals. The large purple portal, at the center of the room, was Sheik's chance to find out. She stood in the middle, and was teleported to Minadu's bedroom. But she was gone; nowhere to be found. There were audible footsteps, though. Above. Sheik rushed out of the bedroom, and wall-jumped her way out to the rooftop window. The glass had been shattered on the floor, and the rain had been pouring in. Sheik was very nimble. Even more so than Link. She could run faster, and climb objects quicker and easier. Oni and the Interlopers were up on the slippery rooftops of the castle. Sheik followed them in the pouring rain. With each footstep she made, the closer she came into trouble. There were tall trees near the rooftops. Their branches worked great to tail the demons. As did the ledges of the rooftops themselves. Sheik could easily remain hidden in that fashion. Staying directly behind them would be far too dangerous. She would get caught, and that wouldn't be the right thing to do. She needed to be stealthy. Some weapons would draw too much attention, so she'd have to pick the right one. From ledge and tree, Sheik hopped and climbed her way in the direction that Oni was headed. The Interlopers lived and breathed in the darkness, and their eyes glowed red. The rain continued to fall. With a **Chain Dart**, Sheik stealthily made her way around the rooftops. She used the chain to choke the Interloper, and her **Dual Daggers** to jab through the neck. Blood gushed out as she lay them down. One by one, Sheik rid the castle of more and more Interlopers. And eventually, she reached the end of her rooftop adventure.

_A cutscene ensues._

_After killing her last Interloper, Sheik trips along the slippery rooftops, slides down, and ends up dangling along the ledge. Oni, who is near the entrance to the sewer system, quickly turns around before opening the door. He looks around, but sees nothing. Oni goes to have another look. Carefully, he walks back. The rain is pouring harder now. He gazes around, but he doesn't see anything. He looks down to the courtyard below. Sheik remains as hidden as possible, with her back against the wall, and her hands gripping the underside of the eavestrough. She can hear his breath. Oni turns around and walks. Sheik quickly turns around, grabs onto the ledge proper, and begins to climb up, but slips again, and ends up falling down the castle. She very briefly grabs onto the window ledges, which ultimately slows down her fall. Once she reaches the ground, Sheik realizes she has arrived in the graveyard within the courtyard. She has a look at the tombs. Strangely, along the backsides, symbols and phrases are written in blood. Things like, "Fear Majora", "The demons will return", "Don't dare dawdle here for long", and multiple Eye of Truth symbols. Spooked, she walks away. Chills shiver down her spine. And another feeling, too. The feeling of somebody watching. She quickly turns around, and finds her first little battle since Oni's overtaking of Link's body. __**A Twili Interloper Horde**__. Eight of them appear in front of the tombs._

Sheik – There are so many of them!

Twili Interloper 1 – Let's kill her! Quick! While she's still recovering!

Twili Interloper 2 – Mmm! Yes! I'd love to devour her tasty white flesh, and drink her blood!

Twili Interloper 3 – I want to squeeze every last drop out of her! I want to lick every bone clean!

Sheik – You monsters!

All – _We_ are not monsters! _We _are _demons_!

_They all charge straight toward Sheik. The player is then given control. _

With the rain continuing to drop down from the sky, a battle against the Twili Interlopers ensued. Eight of them were ready to stop Sheik from harming their plans and goals. However, despite her tumble, this served as a great time to show how strong she really was. The moment they all approached her, Sheik immediately released a **Smoke Bomb**. All eight of them stumbled in their tracks. They coughed from their terrible infestation within their lungs. Quickly, Sheik used her two daggers on the immediate Interlopers, and pierced their necks. Blood splattered everywhere. Sheik then tossed them on the damp, grassy ground. By then, the others were better. Sheik sprinted through the clearing, and used her nimbleness to dodge every sphere of evil energy she had been thrown. She could twirl in mid-air; she could briefly walk along the walls; she could disappear with a flash, and re-appear in a nearby area of safety. Sheik found herself atop a long branch of the closest tree. With the usual material, Sheik was able to quickly craft a Chain Dart. She pierced the nearest Interloper in the neck, and then jumped down the branch with the chain in her hands. The Interloper simultaneously rode up to the branch. Sheik then yanked the bloody dagger out of his neck, and continued to re-use it as a Grappling Hook of her own. She spun the chain around, targeted an Interloper, jabbed the demon in the neck, reeled it in, and then stabbed it again with her other dagger. However, as she plucked both daggers out of its neck, she had been hit with a sphere of dark energy. She flew down to the ground, and had landed on her back. The remaining Interlopers walked up to her.

Using her nimbleness to her advantage, Sheik kicked herself back up to a standing position, where she stabbed the closest two Interlopers deep in their necks. She then tossed them against the remaining two. All four fell to the ground like bowling pins. Sheik stepped on top of them—one foot each pair—and pulled the daggers out of the two dead Interlopers on either side. Quickly, she jumped off them, and then cast a **Fire Magic** attack. Sheik wore white leather gloves, which only went halfway up her fingers. Her fingers were free, so that she could easily manoeuver and climb walls and such. Additionally, they could also produce magical abilities. The ability she chose for the time being was fire. Spheres of fire emerged from the palms of both hands, just like the Interlopers had been doing with their dark magic. Sheik launched these fireballs at the four Interlopers, and watched them burn. All eight were finally dead. For a moment, she stood there, and watched the result of her fight. However, after she had begun to walk away to a different section of the castle courtyard, red Twili-like symbols covered the ground. Sheik noticed this from the first two. When she turned around, and looked at the others, they were all like that, too. But then the worse came – they all awoke. They all stood up with devilish smirks on their faces. They weren't so easily dead. They all walked toward her like zombies. Blood gushed out of most of their necks as they made their way toward her. Would Sheik dare withdraw her sword?

_A cutscene ensues. _

_As the Interlopers all walk toward Sheik, they slowly fall to the ground. This shocks and confuses Sheik. Unbeknownst to her, a hand is being hovered over the Interlopers, from the rooftop where Sheik fell. After, they all turn gray, and forcefully deactivate. Sheik turns around, and walks elsewhere. The view of the hand pans over to a familiar face with tribal makeup, and then downward to the person's sudden demonic smile and chuckle. A finger snap is heard, and square, black particles appear in the person's place. Sheik stops walking. She still feels like someone is watching her. She gazes up at the rooftop. The squares still float there. For a moment, she stares at that one spot high above. The sound of rain and thunder fills her mind. Lightning then flashes, and the diamonds disappear._

Sheik – Oni.

_She turns back and walks. The player is then given control._

The amber sky continued to drench of the Realm of Twilight in rain. Thunder rumbled, and lightning crackled and flashed. Sheik continued to walk through the courtyard until she finally arrived at the main section of the castle – the **Palace of Twilight**. It was very high up. The long staircase down had been partially destroyed and bracketed. Sheik had some climbing to do. And so, she did. Between each gap of the staircase, Sheik climbed along the wall to the upmost point. From there, she would latch onto the underside of the staircase, and make her way to the front, and climb herself up. With each section, she did this. It took her a while, but she eventually made it to the top. She had to climb up the ledge of the solid ground. She was standing on the western side of the palace's main entrance. Oni was standing on the eastern. He had been waiting for her. Upon a closer gaze of the castle, Sheik had found it to be severely damaged; in shambles. This worried her, and brought deep fear for the Twilight Princess, Minadu. Things did not look good for the Realm of Twilight. Their world suffered, too. A grim place, this world had become. Before this, the people of Twilight had found this place to be beautiful. But, what might they think now? Hell, where were they? Did the Interlopers kill every last one of them? Probably. The Demon God, from the distance, motioned for Sheik to follow him inside from her entrance. They had a little chat, as they walked on either side of the gap.

_An interactive discussion ensues._

Oni – You certainly are an interesting one. You proved your strengths to me, and I applaud you for that. Perhaps you've noticed, Sheikah, but this world was once filled with people who've transformed, like you are now.

Sheik – What are you talking about? How am I transforming?!

Oni – Just take a look in the mirror!

_Sheik turns her head back into its normal position, after having looked at Oni that entire time. A vertically-elongated mirror is directly in front of her. A faint blue glows along her right cheek. She slowly lowers her mouth mask for a closer inspection. A symbol – just like those of the Twili. She turns around with her left hand holding her mouth mask. She is about to put it back on, when Oni is standing in front of her. He grabs her, and holds her tight, with his hands along her back. She can't take his frightening red eyes, which are overtaking Link's body. Oni slides his hands further and further down her back until Sheik finally pushes him away. He disappears, with only square particles remaining. _

Oni – The Sheikah _become_ the Twili, don't you see? But not all of them have made it successfully. The Triforce has already wished upon. You cannot hope to return to your normal life… Zelda.

_Standing from a ledge very high above, he smirks and then disappears. The camera then pans all the way downward to Sheik's position. The player is then given control._

The Palace of Twilight was not in the best of conditions. All the platforms had been destroyed. Only a few ledges here and there remained. Ultimately, Sheik had to resort to her climbing skills. She began by walking up to the edge of the ground, and then hung from there. She shimmied her way to the end of the path, and then launched herself over to the other side. There were various platform segments on which to climb. Sheik used this to reach higher. Upon standing on the very narrow platform at the top, Sheik began climbing up the wall. Though she was protected from the rain inside, it was very dark. Only a faint amount of amber light shimmered in through the front entrance and the various holes in the walls. As she finally reached a quarter of the way up, a thin, narrow platform came into view. Sheik climbed up, and on top of it. The platform went from one side of the palace to the other. Carefully, she walked across it. Sheik remained balanced, despite that Keese were flying everywhere. She walked closer to the other side of the palace. Light was beginning to shine in. Things were becoming clearer to see. Sheik had stepped over four strands of rope. She did not know the context of the rope until the light brought a brighter picture into view. The Interlopers had hanged four Twili people. Killed; murdered. And as Sheik climbed higher and higher, and the light brightened segments of the castle, even more shocking discoveries became visible. Bloody handprints were found all over the walls; messages were left behind; more people were hanging in their death. This castle had become a place of terror and madness. Sheik still had more to climb. She knew that Oni awaited her in the throne room. That was her destination. Once she finally made her way atop every platform, and had climbed the walls of the palace, only one long path down to the throne room remained.

Corpses lay on the floor. All on their stomachs. Their mouths wide open. Eyeball sockets bare. Insects lived in them. They each left behind a pool of blood, which surrounded their bodies to a great degree. With the exception of the corpses, the road to the door at the end of the hall would not be a simple walk. The adventure would not simply end with a discussion with the Demon God. Oh, no. Not so soon. There had to be a little fun first. This fun would begin with a barrier. Following that, four Interlopers appeared. They all surrounded Sheik. This was the first time she was able to withdraw her **Regal Blade**. This slender, white sword easily deactivated all four demons in a single Spin Attack. Upon their fall, the barrier in front of her had disappeared. Sheik walked forward, but another barrier greeted her. Four more Twili Interlopers appeared. The same tactic was used. Sheik was halfway there. Yet another barrier prevented her from pressing forward. The first four had revived, and teleported to her. She delivered yet another grouped execution. This continued again with the next barrier. However, once Sheik reached the door, another barrier appeared in front of it. The entire hall had been blocked off. Turning around would reveal the horde of eight revived Twili Interlopers at the other end. They walked toward each other. The Interlopers had a look of demonic joy on their faces, while Sheik had a look of disgust. She launched a Smoke Bomb toward the ground when she reached them. She sliced all of their bodies in half with her Regal Blade. She backed away for a moment to breathe. Red symbols appeared along the ground. They revived.

Quickly, Sheik thrust her sword downward into the nearest Interloper's body. However, the others had already awoken. With her hands firmly pressed on the hilt of the sword, Sheik was incapable of defending herself from the sphere of dark energy, which the Interloper beside her had launched at her. This evil magic caused Sheik to fall onto the ground _without _the sword in her hand. The Interloper stepped on Sheik's stomach, took out her sword from the other Interloper's body, and pointed it straight at Sheik's face. Directly from her right hand, Sheik launched a fireball at the Interloper's face. Immediately, he backed off to recover. Sheik used her feet to kick herself back up into a standing position, and caught her blade in mid-air. With it, she decapitated the injured Interloper. His bloody head was thrown in one direction, and his body slowly fell in another. The other Interlopers were not happy. They used their swords to kill Sheik with. Her nimbleness allowed her to dodge most of the attacks, but not all. She received a cut on her stomach, along the left side of her torso, on her left shoulder, and her right shin. Switching to her pair of daggers, Sheik tried to kill the Interlopers two by two. With each open availability, she jabbed her daggers into their necks, and repeated until all six were down. Again, they glowed red, and symbols appeared on their bodies once more. Sheik had been extremely frustrated. But this frustration didn't last long.

_A cutscene ensues._

Oni (voice) – _Enough_!

_The Interlopers turn gray, and forcefully deactivate. Sheik turns around. The barrier disappears, and the throne room door opens. She runs in. Brief blackout. The player is given control until they reach the throne itself. At both sides of the room, deactivated Interlopers are found. In front are even more. They dissipate once a certain distance, between Sheik and the Interlopers, has been reached. They ultimately block the path to the throne. The reveal is that unconscious Minadu is sitting in the throne, and Oni is to her right. He is extremely happy, in his demonic way._

Oni – I hope you've been enjoying your stay in my castle so far.

_He chuckles._

Sheik – Your castle? This is the Palace of _Twilight_, not the Palace of _Demons_.

Oni – Oh, but it's just a simple name change. You did it just now. What's so different? It's not like _she's_ going to be sitting on the throne much longer.

Sheik – What are you talking about?

_He stares at Minadu and smiles. He rubs her face down her neck, and down to her stomach. All the while explaining a certain future. _

Oni – Pay attention to where I'll be headed soon enough. In your world—in Link's time—I shall find your descendant. And what shall I do? Oh, it would be exhilarating to see.

_He puts his right hand along Minadu's jaw, and makes a talking motion._

Oni (mimicking Zelda) – Oh, Link! It's so good to see you again! I've missed you so much!

_He picks her up, and dangles the Twilight Princess in mid-air._

Oni – And then, guess what?

_He stabs Minadu through the torso with his Master Sword._

Oni – Oh, no! Out with Hyrule's wonderful, beautiful royalty!

_He throws her to the ground._

Sheik – You just killed her!

Oni – Yeah, well, so what? This is _my_ castle. And if you'd use your brain, O Great Princess of Hyrule, you would've done something about it!

Sheik – Why are you calling me _"Princess"_?

Oni – Ha! You'd dare pretend things to be false? I've been studying you people. I know all about you. Now, tell me, would you rather be fighting, or waiting for your Stalfos boyfriend to return?

Sheik – What do you know?

Oni – I'm sure that Link hasn't told you anything. He's certainly a quiet one.

Sheik – What?

Oni – A-ha! I'm not surprised. You see, not too long ago, in his time, your Stalfos boyfriend was alive. He used his dying breath to teach Link the ways of the sword.

Sheik – How do you know this?

Oni – This blade tells me many things. Gifts me with these – memories.

Sheik – Well, that sword certainly has an interesting mystery about it. I wouldn't be surprised.

_He holds out his blade._

Oni – Let's get this over with.

_Sheik takes out hers._

Sheik – I'd be honoured to kill you.

"_DEMON GOD: __**ONI**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

Sheik began running straight toward Oni. A burst of wind enveloped her body as she screamed her lungs out. She was ready to kill him once and for all, but Oni immediately snapped his fingers and disappeared elsewhere. Moments later, he re-appeared behind the throne. Sheik stopped herself before hitting the door. She smirked, and then looked around for him. She rolled out a Smoke Bomb down the path to him. He began to cough, and waft away the smoke with his hand and sword. Sheik ran over to the wall on her right, and climbed it. She gently remained there in the darkness, and waited for the picture to become clearer. The moment enough of the smoke had dissipated, Sheik pounced down toward Oni, with daggers in both hands, but he had stopped her just before. With a punch, Oni knocked Sheik down onto the ground. He turned around, raised his sword into the air, and then thrust it downward. Sheik disappeared, and ended up behind Oni. He knew this. He elbowed her, and then disappeared, himself. He was behind Sheik. She was prepared. Her sword was drawn. They amused themselves, and fenced a while. Sheik made Oni drop his sword. Immediately, Sheik stopped him in his tracks. His body was about to get slivered by her Regal Blade, but he risked it. He kept the sword away by pushing it away from him at the blade. He was in pain. His hand was bleeding from the cuts. But it was worth it. With his other hand, he prepared a sphere of dark energy. Before releasing it, Sheik kicked him in the shin. He was pushed backward, and Sheik ducked. The sphere hit the wall, and a swarm of Keese emerged. Quickly, Sheik picked up his Master Sword, too. Dual-wielding, Sheik had rid the throne room of Keese, but it proved a large enough distraction for Oni to disappear. When Sheik looked back, he was nowhere to be found. Where could he have gone? Perhaps… beside? Oni appeared directly beside Sheik. Prepped with more dark magic, another sphere was launched at Sheik's head upon re-appearance. He retrieved his sword shortly thereafter. The room had gone silent. Sheik couldn't hear anything, except for the ringing in her head. Oni charged for Sheik, where they clashed their swords, but she was still unable to hear anything. The ringing seemed to get louder and louder. Distracted, Oni seemed to have finally knocked Sheik back on the ground. She watched as he, yet again, raised his sword into the air. Realizing she was about to die, Sheik used her feet to kick herself backward into a standing position. The Master Sword had been thrust into the ground. Suddenly, her hearing had returned. She tried to avoid being joyous, and ended the fun. She appeared behind Oni, who had just begun to pull his sword out from the ground. She stabbed him through his torso with her sword, just at the same time as he had regained his. She desperately hoped that she had not killed the Hero as well.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik yanks out her bloody Regal Blade. Slowly, Oni falls onto the ground on his knees. His body gradually turns to a humanoid shape of black smoke. He coughs up blood. He places his sword next to him, and then keeps his hands over his large bloody wound until it, too, becomes smoke. In his last breath, Oni remains on his knees, and speaks to Sheik._

Oni – This is not the end, Zelda. I will heal. I will recover. Whomever I find beneath the crypts—whomever I find in search of the Eye of Truth—I will kill them. Just like you tried with me now. I am mightier than you think, ninja-princess. Unlike you, and unlike Link, I am immortal. We demons can live for years, and still be fine. For this, I expect full penitence. Or else, I will make your people suffer for what you have done.

Sheik – How dare you?!

Oni – Would you rather just wait until I've healed? I'll kill you as soon as I'm ready. Would that be better?

Sheik – You and your men have murdered countless Twili within this castle!

Oni – And I don't plan on stopping in Hyrule. I'll see you soon, Zelda. Real soon.

_A __**Heart Container**__ appears next to the throne. Sheik turns around, and leaves Oni behind. _

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_The ceiling and the roof opens all the way at the top of the throne room, directly above the throne. A circular escape route. The camera pans back down to Sheik. The player is then given control._

Sheik climbed up the wall, as the rain began to pour in. The amber sky continued to release its droplets of rain. Though it was a little refreshing, the rain did not bring about any benefit to the emotions Sheik was feeling as she climbed each brick; hopped from one side of the wall to the other; balanced along each narrow platform. There was a sense of frustration. Oni had been stabbed through the torso, and yet, he did not die. How could this be? All the things he had to say were heart-breaking! He knew everything about Sheik; about Zelda. There was nothing to hide. Everything was known to him, and she knew that, because of Oni, her people would suffer. But it wasn't _her _people that worried her. It was Link's. Descendants of hers and others. Their world would become so grim and terrifying. So many lives would be lost. And all for a little revenge? That would be absurd! Why go to such lengths?! Then, there was a sense of sadness. Sheik knew that, without Link, all hope would be lost for their world. She knew that she needed to save him. The entire world was on her shoulders for once. And she couldn't bare it. She wanted to help; she wanted to be at his side in all of this – Link needed to be saved, though. And imagine all the people he'd lose! All the people who've loved and cared about him – they'd all be dead in a matter of hours. Could even be less! Imagine that: his entire world crumbled to bits. Then, there was a feeling of revenge. Sheik wanted to make Oni and the Interlopers pay and suffer. They had to know what was coming. Whether demons or not, their lives would soon end. Sheik made it to the top, after climbing for so long. She wriggled herself onto the ledge of the roof. She slowly made her backward descent to the main level, and over to the portal. Through it, she returned to the Mirror Chamber of Hyrule. The Sages awaited her return.

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik arrives at the Mirror Chamber. She walks down the staircase. But before embarking on her next adventure, the Sages stop her. They speak to her from atop their respective pillars._

Impa – Welcome back, Princess.

Rauru – Link has been trapped within the Demon God's clutches.

Saria – Should you so choose to save him first, you shall find the largest amount of his power in Ordon.

Nabooru – The Demon God's power and hatred have been fragmented by region. Lanayru's province has two.

Darunia – We have created quick transportation for you.

Ruto – With our portal, you shall be able to quickly teleport from our Mirror Chamber to Link's.

All – Bring spring to the land of Hyrule.

_Sheik enters the circular portal at the center of the chamber. A few seconds later, she arrives one-hundred years into the future. _

Sage of Spirit – We have preserved your body a while longer.

Sage of Light – You shall be alive yet.

Sage of Fire – Your tale shall end after Oni's death, most likely. Perhaps earlier, but we do not know for sure.

Sage of Forest – Now then, begin the true portion of your adventure.

Sage of Shadow – If you overcome the strongest fraction of the Demon God's power and hatred, go with Link in search of the Eye of Truth.

Sage of Fire – And then our fortunes will finally be standing in hope.

Sage of Light – Bring the artifact to us when you have found it.

All – We will explain all.

_Sheik nods. The camera pans far back, and provides an overview of the snowy, late-night desert. _

_Fade to black._

**ACT VII – Ordeals**

_**Acts VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by the Sages. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these six acts.**_

The entire land of Hyrule had fallen into a season of winter. The plain white ground mimicked the plain white sky. Only a faint amount of light could be seen through the clouds. Each footstep made was heavy and deep. The wind continued to howl; the trees continued to shake and curve; the flowers withered. Their petals were buried in the snow. Death Mountain had begun to frost. Its lava had cooled tremendously. Both the people and the creatures of Hyrule feared the worst. As the days went by, explosions went off in various regions of the land. Buildings and structures were crumbling. The snow, which fell from the heavens, buried their remnants, and put the memories to sleep. People were dying. Food was becoming scarce. The animals were either slaughtered or slain. Those slaughtered were done by the people for food. Those slain were done by the Interlopers; the demons in the land. Through the embodiment of the Hero, the Demon God was able to perform such damage for his war on Hyrule. By use of the portal within the Temple of Time, the demons could easily reach the Realm of Twilight and vice versa. Gerudo Desert had received the rain and snow, too. Just as the rest of Hyrule, the desert was cold; frigid. Ordon Village had all its goats killed by the Interlopers. Oni had ordered a full-scale assault on Link's homeland. Those that tried to defend themselves, like Rusl, had merely tried. Nothing could stop the almighty demons. The waters froze, the homes and shops were destroyed, and all the villagers were killed. Oni personally destroyed Link's house for his own amusement and satisfaction. All of the memories within the village were gone. Within Faron Woods, the Forest Temple had received a tremendous amount of snow, which didn't seem to benefit the monkeys, who in fact weren't alive for very long. What remained of Hyrule Castle's construction had been ceased. The Interlopers destroyed what was left within the area. The war raged on throughout all of Hyrule.

Sheik had been tasked with two objectives. The first was to separate Link from Oni. The second was to rid Hyrule of winter. Considering the former was such a far distance away, it seemed only fair that Sheik would commence with Gerudo Desert, and find some sort of solution to make all the snow disappear. As Sheik journeyed along the outskirts of the Mirror Chamber, she noticed a few signs had been placed along the pathway down. _"We've relocated"_, stated the signs. All multi-coloured. This could only mean one thing. Sign by sign, Sheik followed the way around until she was taken inside Arbiter's Grounds. She walked along the path within the boss room, and arrived at the central platform. Ravio awaited her there. He was joyous to announce that he had new things in stock, as well as the sudden ability to flat out purchase his stuff. Both Link and Sheik shared a similar inventory. The Castle Town Shop District—which, in result, became the **Gerudo Shop District**—had been updated to allow one character to have the item, and the other to have a different _version_ of it for free. Sheik had decided to rent the **Sand Rod**, which ultimately would provide Sheik with **Sand Magic** instead. Because of Link, Sheik also had Fire Magic and Ice Magic at the ready. The other shops were there, too. However, none seemed necessary to visit for the time being. Instead, she decided she'd come back at a later time, with use of the _**Requiem of Spirit**_**.** This melody would teleport her to the Mirror Chamber. As such, Sheik exited through the hidden back exit, and returned to the main portion of Gerudo Desert.

_OPTION A – If the player is playing as Link._

**YOU RENTED THE SAND ROD!  
**_If you find a patch of sand, you can turn it into a pillar with this! Also, works great on enemies!_

_OPTION B – If the player is playing as Sheik. _

**YOU GOT SAND MAGIC!**  
_This lovely magic is created in the palm of your glove! By using it, you can either blast sand at your enemies, or create pillars of sand from patches you've already found!_

Sheik walked down a long path inside the cave. The cave would eventually lead her out of Arbiter's Grounds. She took the opportunity of the silent walk to ponder the questions on her mind. One such question regarded what the Sages had told her. Why would they preserve her livelihood? What could have possibly been wrong with her? These questions made Sheik think about her adventure through the Realm of Twilight. Her face had been transforming. A bizarre blue symbol had faintly appeared along her cheek. The Sages told her that her tale would soon end. Were they implying that Sheik was about to die? Death was not a matter she wished to indulge herself into at the moment, but it appeared she had no choice. She wondered how the Sages had arrived at such a conclusion. How would they know that she was about to die? And when? The Sages themselves didn't know. Only that it would happen around the time of Oni's fall. How far away could that be? The most likely answer seemed to be _after_ Hyrule's prosperity had been reinstated and restored. Thus, Sheik continued her walk through the cave. The thought of death continued to linger with each footstep. But Sheik tried her best not to think too much of it. Her determination was ultimately to return Link's world to normal—however normal it would turn out—and save the Hero in need from the Demon God. Considering the battle she had faced against him, she worried of what might happen after Link would be saved. She also feared the likely arrival of Majora. Two gods intervening within the war of dominance. This would be a tragic fate. Not even Link or Sheik could survive Majora's wrath in conjunction with Oni's power. Had there only been one, yes, success could be attained, but the thought of another god—the Goddess of Shadows—brought terror along with it. This made Sheik curious as to whether this intervention had something to do with her ultimate death, as vaguely described by the Sages. Nevertheless, Sheik continued on. She marched further. Deeper and deeper. A torch in her hand the whole way through. The light brought an amount of warmth around her. The kind of warmth any person would desperately need during the sudden transition into winter. The season that somehow befell upon the land at such short notice. Sheik found herself outside eventually. She had arrived at the hidden eastern exit. Another set of signs would lead customers into the new Castle Town. Obviously, however, there was a lack of a castle. Arbiter's Grounds once served as a prison. A prison that had been altered with time and disparity. The people that lived had found shelters across Hyrule. But it would be a matter of time before they would be found. Nevertheless, Sheik began her trek through the snowy desert. A bizarre environment, which no one in Hyrule had ever expected.

As the trek continued, the questioning as to where to go became clearer and more obvious. Such a tremendous amount of snow blanketed and filled in the crevices of the desert. The sand was no longer visible. However, one landmark remained in visual sight. A large platform continued to stand erect above the blanket of snow. Sheik carefully made her way to it. Each footstep was deep, but didn't last for long. The strong, howling wind filled the crevice back up with snow shortly after. The desert had remained in its usual state, but was transformed by terrific amounts of snow, and blustery, frigid, frostbite-worthy gusts of wind. Gradually, Sheik made her way there. She climbed up the platform, and then gazed around for her destination. Snow had created the frosting of the platform. A blast of fire melted the snow, and revealed a staircase into the dark abyss. Carefully, Sheik headed down, and arrived at the **Cave of Ordeals**. As the walk down commenced, she knew she _had _to do it. The duty of helping Link in his lost world of Hyrule. It needed to be accomplished. Sheik began this obligation in the desert. The region she was already in. This cave had appeared as an utter mess. Rats, snakes, and serpents infested each floor. And there were one-hundred of them. Floors, that is. Sheik needed to progress that deep into the cave in order to, presumably, rid the desert of a fraction of the Demon God's hatred. Blood appeared along the walls of just about every floor. Encryptions left behind by previous visitors. Previous attempters. Those that tried to shelter themselves in such a place, but had been tortured to death. The encryptions all stated their last words, as they had been eaten alive. The creatures of the underground made themselves busy by devouring each little bit of flesh off their bones. Each floor featured a series of enemies. Each progressively and progressively more difficult to kill. The further deep, the more blood appeared along the floor and walls and ceiling. However, it was very dark. Luckily, an emblazoned torch awaited the visitor on each floor. So many people had tried and failed. But nobody knew why. Yet another thought had occurred to Sheik as she continued her way down. She wondered whether people had attempted to use this place as a survival cave. Perhaps, they thought Oni wouldn't find such a place? Sheik pressed on. She killed Keese, Bokoblins, and the like for the first dozen floors. The enemies didn't bother her too much. The environment, though. The environment disgusted her.

Visuals continued around her. Visuals she never thought she'd see. Large rats scurried around the cave. They burrowed their ways through their tiny little holes. There, they feasted. Whatever flesh they had left, they would eat it. And until they would receive more, they would wait. Sometimes, the waiting was a bit too long. So, they feasted on each other. Rats ate rats. Related or not, these little creatures needed to eat. If it came to it, a male and female rat would mate. Once the infant has been born, the parents would devour their child away. Yet, despite how good it tasted to finally have something to eat, nothing could ever taste better than human flesh. These rats hadn't eaten in days. They found a liking to Sheik. They anticipated her death however it might occur in such a cave. Once Sheik had found a spot to pause and breathe, she would locate one of the scurrying rats. And with one of her daggers, she'd kill it. Occasionally, she'd receive a bite mark during its final breath. As she proceeded to the next floor, a group of rats huddled around the dead one. They ate their brethren in glee. They wondered when their next feast might be. But the rats weren't the only bothersome aspect of the Cave of Ordeals. The rats were only the beginning. There were snakes, too. Rats ate them as well. Each of these creatures followed Sheik. They watched her. They waited for death. They knew it was coming. Surely, she wouldn't last too long within the cave. She was just another one of the others who failed. To them, at least. Sheik held promise; determination. She was focused on reaching the one-hundredth floor. The creatures saw otherwise. They would never believe a person would make it. Sheik pressed on.

Just like the rats, the snakes awaited a feast, too. They slithered along the floor. They watched. The snakes were of various colours and types. Each unique in their own way. But they were all hungry. Sheik needed to be on her toes. One just might wrap around her leg, and wriggle their way upward. They might increase her weight to something she isn't used to. This would result in the need to get them off her. A task she would've never expected. For the most part, however, the snakes simply waited. Just as the rats, the snakes awaited a strong kill from one of the monsters the person would encounter. Once the person was dead, the snakes and the rats would swarm to the dead body. They ate together. But they didn't get along all too well. So, the snakes died, too. There were enough snakes throughout the entire cave to exist along with each visitor; each person searching for shelter, after the sudden transition into winter. The snakes were just as deadly as the rats, in any regard. The rats ripped each person's eyes out of their sockets. The rat received an eye to eat, and the snake received the other. As the rats rid the people of their flesh, the snakes slithered inside their bodies from various regions, and feasted on the inner food. Intestines made their way into their bodies like a bigger snake eating a smaller one. Every available droplet of blood was tasted. Though, quite a bit of it remained on the floors and walls to dry. The day a human died was a day of joy for these creatures. They would finally receive the nutrition they so desperately desired. Every bone had been licked clean. Once the skeleton would only remain, decomposition would begin. Essentially, the Cave of Ordeals became the underside of a graveyard. The _people_ buried _themselves_. Though, the people had assumed this place to be a safe house – a temporary location to remain protected. But they would eventually find their demise. Death by the monsters that had previously infested the land of Hyrule during Ganondorf's reign. The Interlopers had become the ones in charge, under the commands of Oni, the Demon God, himself. Despite that so many people had died during the war, Sheik made sure she would come out alive. She needed to. For Link's sake. For his Hyrule's sake. And for hers, as well.

The adventure seemed to continue on. No matter how many **Keese** or **Bokoblins** or **Geldmen** **Lizalfos** or **Darknuts** or **Iron Knuckles** would be defeated, the adventure never stopped for Sheik. By use of the Sand Magic, she had proceeded floor by floor. Though, to preserve her Magic Meter, she used it sparingly. Her Regal Blade seemed to work best for most occasions. And as she travelled down each floor, the more blood she saw. The people of Hyrule were not so weak, as to die by simple bats. Upon reaching the Lizalfos, blood seemed to be everywhere. Their arm shields seemed to be a benefit in combat. But not on Sheik, of course. What worked on others, would simply be an attempt for her. The Lizalfos were easy to kill. She'd feel a certain rush when a pair of them would have their heads chopped off in a single slice. Their heads would bounce with an intriguing blood trail, and the rats would soon congregate and devour. The snakes would eventually show as well. They had bodies to enter. No matter how the creatures could get their nutrition, they would. Human flesh was not their only means to end hunger, but human flesh was the _best of all_. Sheik's self-burial would not occur in such a place. These were her thoughts. She remained determined no matter how difficult the enemy. The goal remained. Each enemy was taken care of. However, the real challenge began with the Darknuts. In fact, she was surprised other people had reached such a deep region of the cave. So much blood had been splattered all over. She noticed a skeletal figure along the floor nearby. Its flesh, guts, and eyeballs had all been devoured. Blood was all around it. Even handprints of blood dragging from the lower wall onto the floor. Touching the blood revealed it to be a little damp yet. Must've been their last kill. A trio of Darknuts awaited Sheik. One's armour was made of fool's gold – pyrite. A **Lightnut**. Sheik challenged them all, one by one, as best she could. She was nearly there. She could feel it.

Piece by piece, their armour came off. Sheik tried her absolute best to defeat them. The usual tactics remained until all of the outer shell would fall to the ground. In reality, the Darknuts were mighty swordsmen. They were strong and powerful in both forms. Repeating a similar tactic would ultimately kill the chainmail swordsmen. And no matter whether metal covered their bodies, the creatures still scurried to the dead bodies, and feasted. Onward, Sheik marched. As she challenged each and every enemy, she noticed the amount of blood that painted the cave. She watched as the snakes and rats ate the enemies she killed. The one-hundredth floor drew nearer and nearer. But still, the enemies remained tougher and tougher. The Iron Knuckles were the deadliest enemies in existence. They awaited her, and especially so on the second to last floor. Impressed, Sheik noticed one other person had nearly reached the end. The person was on the verge of dying. Rats were eating him as she entered the room. She let them. There was no way she'd keep one person alive. Not in such a dire situation. So, she fought the Iron Knuckles one at a time. Helmets flew off; armour had been sliced off; cuts appeared on each their bodies. Whether Sheik was bleeding or not, she fought them. She needed to reach the end of the cave. Just as she had battled the Darknuts, Sheik remained in view of their weak spots. She attacked upon the right timing. Eventually, one would be defeated, and the next would be dead soon after. Curiosity sprung to her. She wondered about the final floor, and what might be awaiting her. But she didn't let her focus be on her thoughts for the time being. She needed to focus on reaching it. Killing the final Iron Knuckle was the way how. After an arduous battle, they were both done with, and Sheik made her way downward to the last floor of the Cave of Ordeals. At the center of the giant room, a skeletal dragon rested. Its body had been covered in sand. But that wasn't the only dragon in the room. A live one was locked up and chained within an imprisonment cell of some kind. It appeared infuriated at the larger, dead one in the middle of the room, but not to Sheik. She made her way over to the baby Acid Dragon, which was actually even taller than Sheik.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik [Link] walks over to the cell along the wall. She [He] tries to open it. Once it's finally open, the skeletal dragon's red eyes awaken. Sheik [Link] turns around upon hearing sudden rumbling. It begins to stand up. The last ten floors open up; giving the dragon a good distance to fly. The dragon flies up as high as it can go. It then roars. Some sand slides off its body, and onto the floor. _

"_GERUDO PROTECTOR: __**SANDBAT DRAGON**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

The Sandbat Dragon swooped down toward Sheik, at such an incredible speed, that a sandstorm was created around it. She lured it to the center of the room, and created a column of sand with her Sand Magic. The pillar, which had suddenly emerged from the puddle of sand, caused the dragon to get hit, and stop in mid-air. Sheik ran up the column, and over to the dragon's wing. With a jump and a downward strike from the Regal Blade, Sheik attempted to slice of the Sandbat Dragon's wing, but she had merely awoken a family of Keese. They had found a home in the dead, sleeping dragon, and had clung to its body like bees to a honeycomb ever since. The Keese infested the room, but they all flew in Sheik's direction. She slashed away as best she could. But once the Sandbat Dragon had recovered, the ones that survived returned to their home. The dragon then landed, and chased after Sheik. Again, she tried the column of sand trick, and again, it worked. Up she climbed to the top of the pillar, and soared downward to awaken the Keese on the other wing. The room became filled with bats once more. Sheik did her best as many as possible, but she didn't kill them all, of course.

Once the Sandbat Dragon had recovered, the column had been slashed and reverted back into a pile. Again, it chased Sheik around the room. But rather than merely running, the dragon blasted spheres of sand from its mouth. Panting, she wondered what she might do next. After getting hit a few times, she attempted other magic. From her palm, she blasted Leaf Magic at the spheres of sand. A strong gust of wind returned the sand to the dragon. It roared. Return to Sand Magic, Sheik filled its mouth with sand. Paused in its place, Sheik ran toward the dragon's tail, and used her sword on it. The Keese made their appearance. Her Regal Blade had become a bat swatter. Keese after Keese, Sheik sliced and chopped every bat that flew toward her. Every one. She had enough time for once. And so, the tail had been weakened permanently. It was at that moment that the Sandbat Dragon recovered. Immediately, it spun around and spewed a ginormous amount of sand from its mouth. Sheik could've been killed if it weren't for the baby Acid Dragon, who had spewed acid at the sand, and turned it to glass. With a brief amount of protection, Sheik turned around, and realized she had never unchained the baby from its neck. Joyous to be free, the baby dragon shattered the glass with its spiky tail. Sheik climbed on its back, and continued to partake in the battle. The first form of action was to spray the skeletal dragon's tail in acid. Turned to glass, Sheik withdrew her **Shuriken Bomb**. These black-to-red gradient carves of metal explode upon impact. One was thrown, like Link's Boomerang, toward the tail. A giant explosion caused the glass to shatter, the bones to crumble, and the nearby Keese to react and swarm. Sheik slashed away at the bats that approached her. The barren regions received a blanket of acid, and an explosive Shuriken Bomb shortly thereafter. This continued until the Sandbat Dragon's head had been detached, and floated around the room. Simple enough, Sheik had the Acid Dragon paint the skull a lime green colour. The thin layer of sand, protecting its skull, had turned to glass.

_OPTION A – If the player is playing as Link._

_A cutscene ensues. _

_Link preps his Bomb Arrow, and launches it at the skull. It explodes in mid-air. The glass shatters. The particles of bone fall to the ground. A __**Heart Container**__ floats where the head had been. Slowly, it descends to the ground. _

_OPTION B – If the player is playing as Sheik._

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik preps her Shuriken Bomb. But before she launches at the skull, she notices bizarre red symbols appear on the ground. Heads emerge from under the earth. The Interlopers. Distracted, Sheik fails to notice Oni until the last minute. He plunges down from the darkness above. He screams in excitement, with the Master Sword held firmly downward. He destroys the dragon's skull in two, and laughs upon landing. The Demon God, garbed in Link's outfit—with only tribal face paint to differ one from the other—walks toward her._

Oni – The blade of evil's bane in the palm of my hand. Ah, I've never felt such exhilaration, in killing for fun, in centuries. Though, this was technically the second time I killed _that_ dragon. It was once an Acid Dragon, too. Your new friend was her mother. I killed the beast after it had done my bidding across Hyrule, and locked up the infant in the case that I would find use of it at a later time. But I don't think that's necessary any more. I think you'll find more use in her than me! A fair trade, no? But enough about me. I thought I'd make this little visit about you. I had a few questions on my mind.

Sheik – What do you want?

Oni – What are you even doing here? This is not your time, and you know you have nothing to gain from all this, so why bother?

Sheik – I want to help. Is that so wrong?

Oni – Help in what? Separating Link from me? And then what?

Sheik – You know what will happen after.

Oni (laughing) – My sweet Zelda, I'm not going to die. Not now, and not after.

Sheik – Oh, but you will. I will make sure that you receive what you deserve.

Oni – Even if I _do_ die, it won't be by your hands. Neither will it be by Link's. It will be that damned Majora that gets the best of me. Goddess of the Shadows. And if I kill her? Oh, prepare to thank me.

Sheik – We'll see who the real villain is.

Oni – You'll end up saying it's both of us, in any case.

_He smiles._

Oni – Anyway, farewell.

Sheik – Farewell, indeed.

_She throws her Shuriken Bomb at him. He turns to black smoke. He laughs maniacally, and then lets it infest the entire room. A little while later, it disappears. The Interlopers too. A __**Heart Container**__ is left behind, and a portal appears where the pile of sand once stood. The player is then given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_Sheik [Link] steps into the portal with the baby Acid Dragon, where they are taken outside. The Gerudo Desert is back to normal. The clouds above her head are gone. A bright blue sky stands in its place._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT VIII - Remembrances**

_**Acts VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by the Sages. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these six acts.**_

There was a sense of joy as Sheik returned to the desert. The clouds no longer infested the sky, and snow no longer infested the ground. She had found a lovely use in her new Acid Dragon pet. The path to her next destination was far. Warmth shined directly upon them. Lake Hylia would seemingly be reached by sunset. Deciding on the name _"Alie"_, Sheik rode off into the distance. She could even see the clouds bearing over the lake. As they travelled, they passed Moldorm, which jumped from out of the sand, and Geldmen, humanoid sand creatures which hurled balls of sand at people. Some were killed, while others were left behind. Alie had found a friend in Sheik, and was happy to help her with her adventures. Occasionally, Alie helped out with her acid breath. It served quite useful. For the Geldmen especially. However, as the journey continued, a sudden interaction made their journey a bit longer. Sheik had heard something. Quickly, she told Alie to stop. Sheik looked around her, and paid attention to the sounds of the desert. Something was getting closer. Something from beneath the sand. A giant clump of sand came from behind, and underneath Alie. Unintentionally, Alie had thrown Sheik off. She landed in the sand. The clump got closer, until it was beneath her. The creature emerged from the sand. Sheik went flying. When she finally got up, she noticed the creature had been a **Moldarach**. A giant scorpion with two large claws, and one large tail. Sheik wasn't all too pleased with such a monster wasting precious time. She withdrew her Regal Blade, and charged straight for it. Immediately, she sliced off its left claw. But before doing the same to the right claw, the Moldarach burrowed underground. This frustrated Sheik. Applying her Leaf Magic to the clump allowed for the monster to return to the surface. First, she sliced off the right claw, and then, she jabbed it in the eye when it turned red. The Moldarach had had enough. It returned underground, and sprinted away. Free at last.

But Sheik was not done. She wanted it dead. So, she chased after it, and used the Leaf Magic again to bring it back up. To her surprise, the monster was red and angry. It was steaming. And both its claws had regrown. This infuriated Sheik. She went to slice off one of its claws, but the Moldarach immediately grabbed her, shook her around in mid-air, and then tossed her to the ground. Because she had been so nimble, Sheik was able to quickly get back up on her feet, and slice off the claw. But as soon as she sliced off the other, the monster's tail had swooped around in a curved fashion to pick Sheik up, and then throw her far into the distance. The Moldarach burrowed underground again. Once she got back up, Sheik ran back to the giant scorpion with her **Shuriken** in hand. She had thrown it so that its tail would be sliced off. Knowing it would return underground and regrow, Sheik blasted a giant gust of wind at the clump of sand _immediately_. As soon as the Moldarach jumped back up, she stabbed him in his red eye, and then disconnected it from the socket. Defeated, the Moldarach collapsed to the ground, and opened like a shell. Sheik searched it for materials. It was at this moment that she reminded herself of one of the shops in Arbiter's Grounds. There was a craftsman, who had previously worked in the Hyrule Castle Town's Shopping District before it had been abolished and shattered. Gondo's service allowed for customers to bring enemy materials—plus Rupees—to upgrade their inventory. However, if they were one of Ravio's, they needed to be outright purchased. Different things would require different materials. Sheik wondered what Scorpion's Eye, Scorpion's Venom, and Scorpion's Shell might net her. She had already collected dozens of materials from previous enemies and bosses. Perhaps multiple items of hers could be upgraded? She decided to return afterward.

The delay from the battle had turned a sunset arrival to a nightfall arrival. Alie and Sheik had arrived at the edge of the desert quite a long time after that battle. Additional delays included treasure chest openings, and locating secret caverns within the desert. Dozens and dozens of these caverns were all across Hyrule. Likewise with the chests. If one is left untouched—for either of these two—they become marked on the map for future reference. Sheik's curiosity had gotten the best of her, as she anticipated. Some caverns had been labyrinths. Others were straightforward. But they all led to some sort of treasure. Be it Rupees, the materials of a large monster of sorts, or the words of wisdom left in blood by previous visitors. Nevertheless, Alie and Sheik jumped off the edge of the desert, and made a long plunge into Lake Hylia – which had been frozen. Wanting to land in liquid water, Sheik produced the largest fireball she could, in order to remain safe. She launched it into the ice, which shattered almost the moment they touched down. During the brief moment they were underwater, Sheik jumped off Alie's back, and activated her Water Dragon's Scale. She swam around in the ice-cold water, and hoped that she might find her destination. Beneath Lake Hylia, fish all of kinds swam about. Algae shimmered with each sudden burst of air. While the world below remained at such a constant cold temperature, the world above received constant snowfall, in addition. Swimming around much of Lake Hylia, Sheik seemed to have explored almost every nook and cranny. She had even explored caves at the bottom of the lake's floor! However, the surprise came to her when she realized she had only swam _half_ of the lake's entirety. She followed the lake's floor until she had arrived at such a surprise.

Another region of Lake Hylia went deeper, and deeper, and deeper. And as she found the entrance to yet another cave, the sudden feeling of having been poisoned kicked in. The venom from the spiky Moldarach tail had finally taken its course through her body. The poison had finally activated. Sheik swam through the cave. As she passed by all the Bari and Shell Blades, her vision had begun to blur. Movements started to appear as though they were jagged and choppy. She started to hear her own heartbeat. Her head started to feel like it was separating from her body. As she approached the end of the cave, Sheik had nearly fainted. But because her eyes had closed by that point, she didn't see the last Bari. The jellyfish's electricity gave her a quick revival for the briefest of moments. It also launched her out of the angled cave, and into the room up at the top. She lay there. She could barely move her body. She tried to get up, but it was impossible. She was shaking like crazy. And as time passed on, she slowly was reverting to how she felt before. Quickly, she searched through her pockets in search of something that would help her. A bottle! Her shaky hand allowed her to hear that something was inside. She squinted at the bottle to see what was inside, and had found some Super Red Potion. It would cure even quicker than the standard Red Potion. She popped out the cork, and began drinking her antidote. Her vision returned to normal. Her shakiness stopped. Sounds were normal. Feelings were normal. All was good. Sheik stood up, and gazed around the room. In front of her, stood a silver door, which appeared as though it had been divided into three. This door possessed no lock, nor any doorknob. Regular methods would not unseal that door. Though something seemed strange about the door. In each division stood an outlined image of a large creatures. Outlined in three different colours. An owl; green. A snake; red. A manta ray; blue. To either sides of the door were staircases, which went upward and around the room. On the direct left side of the room was a silver door with solely a green-outlined owl on it. On the direct right side of the room was a silver door with solely a red-outlined snake on it. And at the top of the staircase—directly behind her—was a silver door with solely a blue-outlined manta ray on it. This place was not such a simple cave. This place was the **Lakebed Temple Expansion**.

_**The following dungeon has three paths to take, before reaching the ultimate fourth path. The three can be completed in whichever order the player desires. An order has been provided, for simplicity's sake.**_

Sheik walked up the staircase, and over to the left. She had decided she would begin with the owl. She continued her way up the stairs until she finally arrived at the door. Grips were located at the bottom. She pulled the door up, and quickly walked through. As she entered, the room looked like a swamp. The ground was damp. The grass was sparkling from the droplets of water upon them. From a large fan, a gust of wind blew at intervals. It blew toward a large body of brown water. It had been very deep and very toxic. Beneath it was another door. A replica of the one Sheik had just entered. Above this fan was a platform on a rail. Underneath were propellers. The rail went all the way to the toxic pool. When the wind blew, the platform rode the rail to the end. Once the fan had stopped, the platform slowly returned to its neutral position. Sheik waited patiently for the platform to make its way back. Once it had reached a fair distance, she used her Leaf Magic to give herself a quick boost upward, and then grabbed onto the ledge of the platform. The fan began moving again shortly thereafter. Wobbling and shaking, Sheik nearly fell into the water while she tried to get up. But, with enough trial and error, she did. The wall, which she had been facing, had a ledge to climb right at the platform's neutral position. Sheik hopped off the platform, and made her way upward to the higher level portion of the room. Walking on the new ground brought Sheik to a bridge. This large bridge curved like a circle at the middle, and then continued as usual to the wall above the door she had entered. A draining switch hung against the wall. This was Sheik's target in order to get to the next room. However, she would be stopped by a giant monster. Once Sheik had reached the center, barriers rose up to the ceiling from both sides. The monster turned around to face the opponent. Sheik was stuck fighting against **Hootlem**.

Sheik ran around the room in circles. She had been locked up in a cage, and needed to avoid the disgusting chunks of regurgitation, which the large mother owl had been hurling. Once she had stopped to take a break, Sheik immediately pulled out her Chain Dart, and threw the chained dagger at the Hootlem's neck. Blood squirted as it pierced through. Quickly, Sheik yanked the owl down to ground level, and then got on top of it to stab it again with the other dagger. With blood gushing out of both sides, Sheik pulled the daggers out, and got off. The Hootlem had finished recovering from the fall. She returned to the air, and then swooped down in Sheik's direction. With Leaf Magic, she managed to get on top of the mother barn owl again. Simultaneously, she pierced through both eyes, and plucked them out. A new pair to add to the collection. However, upon the joyous moment, Keese had somehow inhabited her eye sockets. As they descended to the ground in a crash, Sheik tried to kill as many of them as possible. Once they had all been eliminated, the blind Hootlem attempted to get back up. Sheik used her two bloody daggers on the owl's neck; making four bloody incisions in all four compass directions. She tried to connect them together to decapitate her, but the Hootlem kept flapping her wings, and made a fair bit of wind. Sheik kept getting pushed back. When they were a good distance apart, the Hootlem got back into the air. Despite not being able to see anything, the mother owl still hurled her regurgitation in all 360 degrees, from the center of the room. She paid attention to sound. Wherever she assumed she heard Sheik, she swooped down, and attacked. No matter whether she was right or wrong, Sheik took the opportunity to attack, too. Upon succession, Sheik had disconnected the Hootlem's head from the rest of her body. It appeared on the ground like a cup. More Keese swarmed out. Of both parts, in fact. One by one, Sheik killed them all. And as they died, the body and head had begun to decompose. With the Keese rid of, the barriers slid back into the ground.

Queen Owl Eyeballs, Queen Owl Feathers, and Queen Owl Mandible were the materials Sheik had acquired for defeating the Hootlem. Another set she could possibly use for something. Sheik walked across the bridge to the draining switch hooked on the wall. She turned the wheel counter-clockwise. The drain at the bottom collected more and more of the filthy water as the turning continued. Crevices were found along the walls. Sheik used the opportunity to climb over to the left, where the water had once been. She continued climbing until she was directly above it. She climbed downward at that moment. Slowly and carefully, she made her way beneath the outline of the pool. She had been getting closer and closer to the silver door at the bottom. Once she had reached a safe enough distance, Sheik jumped down, and lifted open the door. There was nothing but darkness on the other side. Nothing at all was visible. She continued walking forward. But eventually, it faded away, and her location had been revealed to her. She had just entered a giant birdhouse. She looked around at her surroundings, but didn't see too much besides wood, and a giant hole in the middle. It was a long way down to the only grate platform of the temple. And a large circular fan was beneath it. Peculiar. A sound was getting closer. She heard wings flapping. She looked around until she finally saw it. A giant owl, with eyes made of emerald, had been behind her the whole time. She had been clasped in his talons, when **King Hibhoot** flew to the region below with her. Trying and failing to be let go, the colossal owl had enough of Sheik's idiocy, and released her to drop and land on the one platform in the entire temple. He then flew back upward.

In order to avoid contact with the ninja-princess, King Hibhoot released miniature tornadoes from his wings at her. He did not realize, however, how much help that would actually be. Sheik used her Leaf Magic to soar higher and higher through each little tornado. The giant owl noticed she had been getting closer, he quickly turned around, and blasted a strong gust of wind off to the side. She went flying. Luckily, she had landed near one of the ledges. She used her nimbleness to her advantage. She ran up the wall until she grew a bit tired. At which point, she grabbed on for dear life, and climbed further until she reached one of the blasted-open walls. But before she could even get up on the ledge, the colossal owl had noticed her whereabouts. King Hibhoot knocked her down. Sheik needed to distract him somehow. With all of her adventuring, her Magic Meter was getting rather low, and she didn't have any Green Potion or Blue Potion with her. Upon reaching the upmost tornado, she had run out. King Hibhoot was not happy with her antics, so he made a clean swoop down to snatch her. Sheik made immediate use of a dagger, and stabbed him in the leg with it. Quickly, she jumped on his gigantic body, and stabbed him in the lower back with the other dagger. She climbed downward during the moment in which he had been in pain, and then climbed all the way up as quickly as she could. At the absolute last minute, she jabbed the daggers into his emerald eyes. The first layer had been shattered off. She had immediately been thrown off after that. But she luckily managed to land on a ledge. Upward, she ran. Once she had run out of energy, she had securely managed to make it to the blown-out wall at a perfect time. The owl was about to scoop her up with his wing, when she had entered the hole. She used a Chain Dart, and shattered off his left emerald-protected eye. She then reeled him in with the chain, and used the other dagger on his right emerald-protected eye. She yanked the daggers out, and then made her way outside the temple, where she climbed up the vines. King Hibhoot made sure to stay far away from her. Sheik had travelled to the highest climbable part of the temple. There, some green pots awaited her. Shattering them brought her magic. Her meter had been refilled. The colossal owl had been flying about a little below her, and further off. Sheik walked to the absolute edge, and used her Leaf Magic to give her that extra boost. She landed on him. Immediately, she climbed over to his head, and stabbed him repeatedly in the eyes with her daggers until he was done for.

Having lost his vision, King Hibhoot had no idea where to go, or what to do. He ended up hitting his head hard on the wall. Sheik had jumped off, and stood within one of the holes of the temple. The bottom-most grate platform unhooked itself, and opened up. The colossal owl had descended his way into the open fan, where he had been chopped up into tiny little bits. The platform then re-hooked itself back into position. A green portal appeared near the center. But before exiting, Sheik collected the materials the owl had left behind. The king's leftovers, luckily enough, could be obtained twice in the adventure. Especially useful had Link initially forgotten to nab his goodies the first time. Sheik had gathered Emerald Shards, King Owl Intestine Bits, and King Owl Bone Bits for her troubles. She then proceeded through the green portal, where she had been returned to the main chamber of the dungeon. The owl's green outline spread, and filled up the spaces. This occurred on the left-most door, as well as along the proper third of the larger silver door in front of Sheik. One down; two to go. She walked up the staircase that curved upward and to the right. The silver door, with a red-outlined snake, awaited her. She lifted up the door from the bars at the bottom, and then ran under. The room was a lot hotter. She activated her Fireshield Earrings. A giant body of lava awaited Sheik over to the right. And a ramp of steel-plated molten rock rested in front of her. It seemed likely the next door would be deep beneath the lava. Sheik walked up to it to have a peek. But it didn't take very long for her to be greeted by an old friend. A Bomb** Snapper** swam up from the bottom of the pool. Sheik used Ice Magic to freeze it—and the lava—in place. But the large turtle quickly broke himself free. He began spinning around the room upon reaching ground level, and creating explosions while doing so. Steam continued to fill the room; making it harder to see. Sheik ran up the ramp. The turtle chased after. But as her luck would have it, the entire ramp flopped once she reached the top. Both she and the turtle fell off. During the brief moment in which the Bomb Snapper had been upside-down, Sheik jabbed him in the stomach with her Regal Blade.

Returning to safety, the giant turtle spun back to its home of lava, while still upside-down. Explosions went with it. The Bomb Snapper swam deeper in, and began to heal. Sheik blasted a large blast of ice, from her hands, at the lava. Everything froze – including the turtle. But it used its internal Bombs to break free, and freely swim in the lava again. It crawled out of the pool, and began spinning around and blasting explosions. Sheik returned to the ramp. The Bomb Snapper continued up the ramp unknowingly. Again, it flopped once Sheik had put her weight on the other side. The turtle had been laying on its back, and moving its feet around. Sheik got up from the ground, walked over with Regal Blade in hand, and stabbed the Bomb Snapper in the stomach. He spun around, and back to the pool of lava. And as he did that, fire erupted from his mouth. Along with explosions, of course. Sheik blasted some ice at the fire. It froze. The turtle's explosion caused it to hurt itself, and pause in place. Another jab went to the stomach. It kicked its feet, but to no avail. The giant turtle had been defeated. Sheik collected the materials left behind, and then returned to the ramp. She jogged up, but jumped and grabbed onto the ledge upon reaching the top. She made her way up and on top of the wall. A draining switch awaited her there. She turned the wheel counter-clockwise. The lava escaped the pool. Carefully, Sheik climbed the wall around, and then made her way downward until she arrived at the bottom. The door stood directly in front of her. She opened it, and her vision expectedly turned black for a moment. Once she could finally see again, Sheik had been riding the round platform at the bottom of the Earth Temple. A giant rush of lava pushed her all the way to the hole at the top. As she looked around the main room, a colossal viper slithered down from the darkness above. The platform then dropped back down to its regular position; causing Sheik to return back down, and **Queen Vipevol **to emerge from her nest.

Sheik rode the platform back to the top, and slashed away at the snake's ruby-plated tail. Queen Vipevol did not like that. She spun around to attack Sheik, but the platform brought her back down in time. The colossal viper was expecting another attack to occur as before. But Sheik needed to think quickly before she'd be launched up again. She noticed a blasted hole in the volcano. Quickly, she used Ice Magic to make a trail to the perimeter of Death Mountain. Just as the platform had risen, Sheik jumped off, and landed on the slippery platform. From there, she slid outside, and found multiple holes along the sides of the volcano. She climbed up. Queen Vipevol hadn't seen Sheik anymore. She had wondered where she had fled off to. She began searching, while Sheik climbed higher and higher. Upon reaching a secure distance, Sheik crawled up into one of the holes, and stood on one of the ledges. She jumped down onto the snake's gigantic body. Immediately, she withdrew her Regal Blade, and destroyed the tail's ruby protection. Shards sprinkled around the entire volcano. Queen Vipevol swiftly threw her off. Not falling perfectly center, Sheik aimed for a ledge further below. Luckily, she had landed on the absolute last available ledge. The colossal viper swooped down to attack, but Sheik jumped onto the platform at the bottom just as it was rising. She jabbed her in the tail, to Queen Vipevol's surprise. Sheik continued to rise up, while the snake remained below. A swap of positions. Neither of them could see each other, due to the large amounts of lava beneath the platform. Sheik had two options: either drop down and attack by luck, or jump over to a ledge. She did the latter, in order to preserve her safety. As the platform returned back down, the giant snake had wondered where the annoying ninja had gone. She slithered upward, and searched. Sheik prepared her daggers. She patiently waited for the queen to move her head. One after the other, both daggers pierced the viper's giant neck. Paused to relieve the pain, Queen Vipevol had stopped moving. Sheik jumped down with her sword in hand. The blade was pointed downward. She tried her absolute best to aim for the tail. If her luckiness had failed her, she slashed away until the tail became an absolute mess of blood and bits.

The platform then began to rise again. Quickly, Sheik grabbed her daggers, and stood directly in the middle of the hole. She returned to the room above, while Queen Vipevol was squashed to a bloody pulp. A large chunk of the mess remained on the platform, while the other particles shimmered around the volcano. The platform filled the hole, and remained there. A red portal appeared to its left. After gathering fantastic materials—such as Queen Viper Skin, Ruby Crystals, and Queen Viper Lungs—Sheik proceeded through the portal, and was returned to the main chamber. The outlined drawing of the snake had been filled in with its red colour. Both on the main, larger door, as well as on the other door; focused primarily on the viper itself. It didn't matter which direction Sheik went up the staircase. Either way, she'd be getting to the third and final door. The manta ray. Sheik made her way up, and headed through. However, she needed to put on her Water Dragon's Scale, due to her entrance into a gigantic ice-cold pool. And it was dark. Too dark to see anything. As she swam around, a light suddenly shone at her. An **Angler Fish** awaited her. It charged straight for her. Sheik made sure to get out of the way, which resulted in the giant fish crashing into the wall. Immediately, a large blast of ice was shot out of Sheik's fingerless, white leather gloves. The Angler Fish roared in pain, and then turned around. Its giant mouth drew nearer and nearer to Sheik. She did her best to swim away. Once they had finally reached a fair distance apart, a dozen Bombfish scattered around, after they had all emerged from the Angler Fish's mouth. Quickly prepping her Shuriken, Sheik targeted for a Bombfish to return to its parent's mouth, and explode. This created for a live version of her Shuriken Bomb. However, it was much trickier, due to them all swimming toward Sheik. As soon as the implosion had occurred, a giant rush of water from the Angler Fish caused everyone to charge for Sheik. Destroying them all with Ice Magic made for a frosty finish.

Light shone into the room. The silver door to the manta ray was right there. However, because she had no means of walking along the floor of the pool, she had to search for the draining switch instead. Above her was a sheet of ice. Sheik had used her Fire Magic to reach through to the other side. But the switch was nowhere to be found. Instead, she had been greeted to another one of her good friends – the **Slippseal**. The pool had been re-frozen. A strong layer of ice created a second floor to the room. The large seal began sliding around the room, and blasted spheres of ice everywhere it went. Sheik ran up one of the walls, and found a place to hang. When she had an opening, she blasted fire at the Slippseal. This frustrated it, so it clapped its flippers together; causing stalactites to fall from the ceiling. The ice was starting to crack, so she destroyed it completely with her Fire Magic. The Slippseal plunged down into the deep pool of water. Sheik jumped down with daggers in hand. Their pierced through the seal's neck. Blood gushed out. Due to its frigid cold temperature, however, the daggers remained stuck within his body. Sheik had to heat up the seal's body first, in order to kill it by decapitation, and then retrieve her bloody daggers. It had appeared as though Sheik's aggressiveness made the battle not last very long. Aside from the lovely, useful materials from her two battles, Sheik had one last thing to worry about within the room: the draining switch. She ran up the wall, and onto a little ledge to hold onto – similarly as earlier. With the last of magic in her Magic Meter, a new layer of ice had been created. Sheik slid around in search of the switch, but it was nowhere to be found. After a while of searching, she had noticed a round switch along the ceiling. It seemed to blend in quite nicely, which made it difficult to spot. Sheik hit it with her Shuriken. From that very location, a portion of the ceiling lowered. A metallic pole on the other side brought it down to a reachable level. The pole had been attached to the wheel of the draining switch. Sheik spun the entire thing around counter-clockwise until the water had been rid of. Sheik of course had to bring it down with her, as she had been standing on top of the frozen pool of water. Sheik proceeded through the door, where her vision had briefly turned to black once again.

Rumbling occurred beneath Sheik's feet. Green pots stood in front of her. She was able to fill her Magic Meter that way. Upon looking around, she had found a giant hole. It had been directly behind her when her vision returned. She gazed down. A colossal manta ray swam around a _very_ deep body of water. It was just as ice-cold as the last one. This was the very monster she needed to kill. This was** Glaceta**. Sheik dove further and further down into the Glacier Temple. She tried her absolute best to reach the manta ray. Its very body was horrendously cold. It lived on frostbiting temperatures. But fire would do absolutely nothing underwater, so Sheik tried providing _more_ ice. Immediately, it came swimming straight for her. Sheik swam in all directions to keep it away. The colossal manta ray released a swarm of Bombfish from its mouth. Sheik quickly threw her Shuriken back, for it to explode upon Glaceta. When Sheik had been successful, she immediately got onto its back, with her daggers piercing deep through its frigid body. Glaceta's weak spot had been on its backside. Sheik climbed around to its sapphire-plated stomach, and shattered off the first layer with her daggers. Glaceta threw her off. Sheik had been launched all the way back up to the room at the top. The colossal manta ray sent a large group Bombfish her way. Sheik obliterated as many as she could with her Ice Magic. The rest she tried to use to her advantage. Sheik dove back into the water, and lured the Bombfish over to the manta ray. With the help of her Shuriken, a Bombfish would stun Glaceta. Sheik used her available opportunity to ride the manta ray once more, and destroy the sapphire crystals off its belly. Upon doing so, Sheik had been thrown off yet again.

Upon reaching the top of the room, another large swarm of Bombfish made their way toward Sheik. And once again, she firmly gripped her Shuriken to launch at a good chunk of them; giving her enough place to swim without receiving a painful explosion. After multiple little explosions infested the water, Sheik dove back in, and headed straight for Glaceta. She was ready to continue with the same tactic, and Glaceta knew this. The colossal manta ray grabbed Sheik in its mouth, and swam around. She was completely unable to do anything besides wiggle around to escape – which she did a large amount of. Glaceta tried to pull a reversal on her by getting the remaining Bombfish to explode on Sheik. But this in turn would be a risk for Glaceta, if Sheik were to get out of its clutches. With enough tenacity, she actually did, and the manta ray ended up receiving an implosion in its mouth. Sheik was given the opportunity to climb on, and jab it several times in its open, weak, vulnerable stomach. Glaceta threw Sheik off one last time, and upon which, it trembled. The colossal manta ray had been in so much pain, and had such a large section of its body open, that its body turned completely to ice, and plunged and shattered to the floor. A blue portal appeared a few metres away from its fractured body. Swimming around the room allowed for Sheik to collect the various materials left behind. Upon swimming through the portal, she had been returned to the main chamber. The manta ray outlines in the room were filled in blue. The final, larger door then made a brief hum. Each of the three divisions—representing owl, snake, and manta ray—slid equally into the door frame, and then slid down into the ground. This gave access to the actual temple. Sheik walked beyond.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik [Link] walks up the staircase of Lakebed Temple proper. However, as she [he] reaches the apex, the entire staircase flops. The structure, which houses the boss room, opens up like a blooming flower. Sheik [Link] continues to fall until she [he] plunges into the water of the gigantic boss room._

_The player is given control until the bottom is reached. The water drains at a very quick rate while swimming._

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik [Link] stands in the middle of the room. A trio of Interlopers appear in front of Sheik [Link], from under the earth._

Twili Interloper 1 – Well, well, well! It's you!

Twili Interloper 2 – You finally showed!

Twili Interloper 3 – Our Master will be most pleased with how you'll turn out to be!

_Another three Interlopers appear behind Sheik [Link]._

Twili Interloper 1 – My brethren!

All – Yes!

Twili Interloper 1 – Give it all you have! Make this fool suffer! Deliver pain! Give a reason to fetch the Eye of Truth!

_Sheik [Link] is left facing a __**Twili Interloper Horde**__. The player is then given control._

Sheik immediately dropped a Smoke Bomb to infest the area with a wretched, toxic aroma. While they all attempted to attack her—all the while coughing and trying not to breathe too much of the fumes—Sheik withdrew her Regal Blade, and sliced off the torsos of the trio in front of her. Blood gushed out of their bodies during the moment in which their upper halves fell to the ground. The smoke was dissipating. Sheik made a run for it. The other three Interlopers ran through the large puddles of blood, and chased after. Sheik reached one of the walls. The demonic creatures blasted ripples of wind at her, but she dodged all of them when she briefly ran up the wall. She quickly did a wall jump to turn back, and kill two of the Interlopers. By the time she had plucked her daggers out of their necks, the last demon had swung its sword at Sheik. She had received a large cut on the side of her torso. A great deal of blood poured out. The Interloper used its long tongue to lick its lips. It was eager to feast on human flesh. Having been distracted, Sheik took the opportunity to disconnect its head off its body with her sword. The head rolled off a little, while the body fell straight down. Shortly thereafter, bright red symbols infested the ground. The Interlopers all rattled briefly, and then stood up – re-awakened. Blood was all around them. They were getting hungry. All six Interlopers charged straight for her. With a single diagonal slash, Sheik temporarily deactivated the nearest two Interlopers. The third had arrived by the time they had fallen. With his katanas, he clashed blades. Each one of them carried two katanas within each shoulder sheath. Sheik tried her hardest to push the blades off hers, but to no avail no matter how hard she pushed upward. She used her free hand to freeze the demon. Another shortly appeared with a sphere of dark magic. Sheik had been hit. She stumbled, and tripped over one of the bodies. She fell down. They all walked toward her. They were excited to feast. One of them thrust their two katanas downward in an attempt to shatter Sheik's lungs, but she managed to roll out of the way.

The fifth Interloper stood in front of her when she got up. It was about to stab her through the torso, but Sheik performed it first, with her two daggers into its neck. She pulled them out, and briefly watched as the demon fell backward to the ground. Another Smoke Bomb was thrown to the ground. Sheik withdrew her Regal Blade once more, and sliced off the heads of the two nearby Interlopers. The last one was out of range. She quickly tossed her Shuriken Bomb. The explosion made a successful impact. As her Shuriken returned to her, the bright red symbols returned as well. The Interlopers were brought back to life, and were suddenly programmed to be more aggressive. Each of them withdrew their dual katanas, and charged straight for Sheik. They ran from all directions. Another Smoke Bomb was used. Her pouch was nearly empty, so she hadn't much more time. Almost immediately, her two daggers were jabbed into the necks of the demons on either side of her. They both fell to the ground when she plucked them out. One Interloper managed to give Sheik a cut on the back of her left ankle. She quickly rolled forward, and used her Regal Blade on the legs of two Interlopers. The smoke around her was fading away. One Interloper was behind her, and one was in front of her. She used Fire Magic to burn the one she saw, and her Shuriken Bomb to the one behind her. As the smoke disappeared, she realized the two without legs were still alive. They both fired dark magic from their hands. Sheik tripped on the burned demon, and fell down. Like javelins, one of them threw their katanas at Sheik. The other one was prepared for the possibility that she'd get up, which she did. The first katana was thrown. Sheik side-jumped. The other was thrown. Another side-jump. Frustrated, both of them fired even larger spheres of dark magic at Sheik. And she fired two fireballs of the same size. Sheik and both Interlopers were hit. Neither of the demons had survived, but Sheik was almost dead. Another round would be the end of her. And another round arrived.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik [Link] is laying on the ground. Her [His] eyes barely open. Blood are wounds are all over her [his] body. She [he] is brittle and weak. Her [his] life is almost over. Death is on the horizon. The ground receives bright red symbols again. The Interlopers awaken. But six is such a few amount. From under the earth, dozens upon dozens upon dozens of demons rise. Including the initial six, they all float into the air. Sheik [Link] feels as though she [he] is hallucinating during her [his] last hour. But she [he] is not. This is reality. Somehow—someway—the Interlopers all form into the shape of a dragon, which comes to life. The monstrous beast flaps its wings; bringing strong gusts of wind. And then it roars a mighty growl. Its teeth are gigantic. They could easily devour human flesh. A faint voice is heard inside Sheik's [Link's] head._

Oni (voice) – Show me your skills.

_She [He] is suddenly healed, and made better. She [He] is ready to partake in the fight._

"_REALM DESTROYER: __**INTERLOPER DRAGON**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text. _

Sheik tossed her Chain Dart at the dragon's neck. With both hands on the chain, she tried to yank the Realm Destroyer down, but all she did was yank out the dagger. The dragon roared a giant roar of wind. Sheik was temporarily frozen. When she was finally able to move again, she started moving around the room, and watched for an upcoming attack. But the Interloper Dragon was doing the same. Sheik blasted fire from her hands. The dragon blasted an even larger one from its mouth. Sheik ran out of the way. The Interloper Dragon swooped down, and grabbed her in its left claw. There was nothing that Sheik could do. Only wiggle and shake, in hopes she'd fall out. With its other claw, the dragon created a sphere of dark energy, and prepared to throw it directly at her. Sheik shook and shook. The Interloper Dragon smirked, and then let Sheik plunge to the ground. Upon impact, the dragon released the dark magic at her. It then swooped downward again, but rolling instead. Its wings had been created by the dual katanas that the Interlopers previously wielded. Sheik immediately began running away. She avoided every blade except for the last one. She received a cut on her upper back. The Interloper Dragon was laying on the ground. Sheik blasted a larger amount of fire at it than before. The dragon roared as it got back up. It then blasted a large gust of wind from its claw; sending Sheik backward a little. The Interloper Dragon then returned to the air. From its mouth, the dragon blasted dark magic at the wall above Sheik. Three Skulltulas came climbing down. It was Sheik's ultimate decision whether or not to kill them. But doing so made for a useful distraction for the Interloper Dragon to attack. After providing Sheik with an immense amount of fire from its mouth, the dragon spun around, and went to attack her with its tail, but Sheik dodged out of the way, and the Interloper Dragon ended up hitting the wall instead. Sheik ran toward the dragon, and jumped onto its tail. She then ran along its spine to its head. The dragon returned to the air with Sheik on its back. She made very sure to avoid those katana wings. Immediately, she took her two daggers, and jabbed them into its neck. Blood splurted out onto her daggers, and onto the ground below once Sheik yanked them out. In an attempt to get her off, the dragon began rotating. Because its wings had consisted of katana blades, Sheik ended up severely cutting herself as she fell to the ground. The Interloper Dragon blasted two spheres of dark energy from its claws. They landed next to where Sheik had landed. Keese emerged from both spots.

Before she could do anything, the dragon launched two balls of ice to transform the bats into Ice Keese. Sheik killed them with fire. Meanwhile, the Interloper Dragon dove directly downward to head-bash Sheik. She tried to avoid her almighty doom by briefly running up the wall, and hopefully land on its head. But the dragon anticipated this. It ended up tilting its head slightly, and bit at Sheik's flesh with its large teeth. The Interloper Dragon tossed Sheik off to the side, and onto the ground. She was nearly finished, but she was prepared to use every last bit of her power. The dragon fired fireballs from its hands, and dark magic from its mouth. Sheik quickly got up, and used Ice Magic to counteract each of the fireballs. As expected, the dark magic was hurled directly for her. With a strong enough gust of wind from her Leaf Magic, the sphere was delivered back. Infuriated, the dragon made its way to Sheik to bring about yet another tail attack. Sheik used her Shuriken Bomb. Its tail was shattered, and her Shuriken was returned to her. She then ran out of the way to avoid getting hit by the crashing dragon. More spheres of dark energy were created from its claws. They were launched simultaneously. Sheik awaited their nearby approach, and then ran up the wall at the last minute; avoiding the near-fatal damage. She slid down the wall upon reaching the end of her wall-running stamina. She turned around to face the standing Interloper Dragon. A giant ball of ice had been forming from its mouth. It was about to launch toward her. Sheik quickly conjured up a giant fireball of her own with the last of her magic. She was nearly killed when she threw it. The ball of ice had been in such a close proximity that it would have been fatal. But luckily her fireball decreased its size dramatically. It didn't melt entirely, due to the differences in size, and brief amount of time to do so. Sheik tumbled down onto her knees from the hit. She waited for the dragon to attack again. She played coy with it. Pretended to be extremely weak, and ready to die. She was, in fact, very weak. But she still had enough energy to muster one more attack, so she waited for the right moment. The Interloper Dragon foolishly fell for it, and prepared its final sphere of dark magic. As its mouth opened, Sheik prepped her Shuriken Bomb, and then tossed it into the dragon's body. Its guts had been absolutely obliterated. The Shuriken emerged out of the hole left behind by the missing tail. Its eyes turned red. The demonic battle was over.

_A cutscene ensues. _

_The Interloper Dragon's body fragments into pieces – some whole, and others annihilated. A combination of blood and toxic black secretion fluid flowed out of its body – from everywhere it emerged, and made a disgusting mixture along the floor. Sheik [Link] is no longer possessing much energy or life. With the cuts and incisions emplaced upon her [him], she [he] is no longer fit to even walk. She [he] resorts to crawling during the moment upon which the__** Heart Container**__ appears from its fragmented body, and the portal—the way out—appears a fair enough distance away, in the case of material collecting. The player is then given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_Sheik [Link] makes her [his] way to the portal, with life having returned to her [him]._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT IX – More Soup for Yeta**

_**Acts VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by the Sages. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these six acts.**_

_A cutscene ensues._

_A black figure appears laying on the grass, at the cliff-side of Lake Hylia. The black fades away, and reveals to be Sheik [Link]. She [He] gets up after groaning. Still in pain from the brutality, she [he] stumbles in her [his] walk. The pain is too much. She [He] needs to be properly healed, and not just feel – awake. The player is then given control. _

Alie—Sheik's new pet Acid Dragon—was a fair distance away. She was filling her belly with Kargorok meat. Sheik did not wish to disturb her. She needed treatments; remedies. The wounds left behind by the Interloper Dragon did not look good. Sheik turned around, and gazed at the lake. All had been mended. The water was beautiful; it no longer was frozen. The ground, upon which she and Alie stood, was green. All the snow had melted. Warmth shone from the heavens. A bright blue sky filled her vision. The clouds of endless precipitation had disappeared. No longer did winter infest itself upon the lake and Hyrule Field above. Half of the Lanayru province had been healed. Before pressing forward, Sheik needed to heal herself. She withdrew her lyre, and strummed the Requiem of Spirit to return to the desert. After playing the tune, she arrived atop Arbiter's Grounds. She struggled to walk from the Mirror Chamber to the boss room. She so desperately wanted to live. There were things on her mind that she wanted to think about, but her focus had been so much on reaching the shops. She couldn't think about anything else for the moment, but the pain. In agony, she practically crawled down the long, spiralling, stone stairs. The travel there took far longer than usual. She had once been so nimble, but she had become so frail and weak. She sincerely hoped she would reach her destination. Eventually, she did.

Sheik finally reached the Potion Shop. She stumbled around as she attempted to sit down on the stool. Two Empty Bottles had already been in her possession. Treasure chests across Hyrule gave her the money she needed. With two purple Rupees in hand, she hoped Syrup—the witch who created her spectacular potions in her cauldron—would present her with the best potion to get herself healed. A tall pitcher was brought over. Inside was enough Blue Potion to fill up both bottles. There was still some inside the pitcher. Sheik drank the rest while Syrup had faced the other direction. The healing process began. Sheik thanked Syrup for the potions, and then embarked over to other sections of the Gerudo Shop District. The new-fangled title since the sudden transition in location. Ravio still had one item left to rent. One which Sheik had not acquired before, due to lack of funds. She decided she would travel to Snowpeak, and would finally outright purchase the Fire Rod, and therefore, the Fire Magic for her. Whether or not she needed the new weapon, she would discard it for a later time. She needed more money in her wallet. Lastly, she visited Gondo at his Upgrade and Repair Shop. There were a few things she felt like upgrading. Among these, a larger Bomb pouch for her Shuriken; the Fire Magic to create larger blasts of fire and larger fireballs when desired – ultimately upgrading the Fire Rod to the **Volcano Rod**, and hers to **Volcano Magic**; her Rupee Pouch to carry 600 from the initial 300; her Smoke Bomb pouch size. There were chests in places she had visited, with which she could finally collect the money, outright purchase weapons from Ravio, and get them upgraded. Nevertheless, Sheik left the Gerudo Shop District, and began visiting caves and crevices in the desert, and beneath Lake Hylia.

A world of sanity finally arrived. The clouds, from the other side of Lanayru, seemed so far away. Snow no longer touched the sand. Ice no longer froze the lake. A moment of happiness for such a small portion of Hyrule. So much more to go. During these moments that Sheik spent wandering Gerudo Desert and Lake Hylia, she finally had the opportunity to focus on the thoughts on her mind, rather than tactics on how to continue. It gave her a place to breathe. Curiosity arose in regard to Oni's assistance in the boss room. He could have easily let the dragon kill her, but instead he healed her. And for what? Simply so that he could see how she might fare? Seemed odd. For a Demon God, who had been so focused on dominating and subjugating all of Hyrule, why would he spare a moment of his precious time to keep one of his remaining enemies alive? Something seemed off. Then, she remembered what the Sages had said. The prophecy they had provided her with. She would not die until Oni was nearing _his_ end. But then, she wondered about Link. If he had been in her shoes instead, would the Demon God still have done the same? Sheik continued her treasure chest search, as well as more hunting for monster materials. This continued through various labyrinths within caves, tunnels beneath the sand, and tunnels beneath the lake's floor. With the help of her inventory, monsters were killed, materials were gathered, and chests were rid of their contents. A lot of side-adventuring had occurred. It seemed a bit tedious, but the end result would be satisfactory. In the end, Sheik had outright purchased the Ice Rod, and had it upgraded to the **Blizzard Rod**; thus giving her the more powerful **Blizzard Magic** on her end. Then, she finally purchased Ravio's latest weapon: the **Clawshots**; also known as the **Chain Strap** for her.

_OPTION A – If the player is playing as Link._

**YOU GOT THE CLAWSHOTS!  
**_Be it wood, vines, or a target, you can hook yourself on with the powerful chains, and go flying to your destination! It can also be used to stun enemies with, or to hit a switch within range!_

_OPTION B – If the player is playing as Sheik. _

**YOU GOT THE CHAIN STRAP!  
**_See a place in the distance that you want to go? If the target symbol indicates you can reach it, you can get there! A sturdy, powerful chain is located within each strap on your arm. They'll shoot out right from underneath! Just grab on, and go! Also capable of stunning enemies with! _

With excellent new gear, she embarked for outside, where upon she played the _Serenade of Water_ on her lyre. The magical melody teleported her to the throne chamber within Zora's Domain. Just like the waterfall in Lake Hylia, all of Zora's River had been frozen. The ground had been all slippery. And worse – all the Zora were dead. They either lay dead on the ground, with blood everywhere, or under the frozen river. Blood infested the waters, too. A frightening sight to say the least. With whatever courage she had left, she made her way down to the true beginning of Zora's River. From there, she entered **Snowpeak Province**. Oni had brought about a curse to all of Hyrule. This curse brought an eternal winter to every region of the land. Snowpeak remained its usual wintery self, so she pondered as to how different the province would be, once she would free the curse, and bring spring about. **Snowpeak Mountain** was rather close by. A giant body of water rested between them. Semi-frozen. Various platforms of ice stood along the way. Sheik had to find the best route in order to reach the mountain. A path had already been created for her, for half the mountain. She began hiking up. The higher she got—despite how strongly the frostbiting wind was blowing—thoughts provoked her. She couldn't stop thinking about Oni. His intentions were cruel and unfair.

She wondered what all this murder and fighting and suffering would bring him. She wondered what a world under his control would deliver. Hyrule was already gone. Despite her efforts in Gerudo and Lake Hylia, the land had already lost so much. So many people were gone from Hyrule. The livelihood they had brought was gone. After seeing those poor dead Zora in their own home made Sheik realize how she a lone survivor in the entire land of Hyrule. And to make matters worse, it wasn't even _her_ Hyrule. She was climbing a giant mountain 100 years into _her_ future! All of the things she had done—all of the things she would put herself through in the near future—was for Link. She had lost her own. She would not let another die before her own demise. His name and role in Hyrule had always been vital to the safety and prosperity of the land. Sheik felt as though she was the only chance of returning him. Oni needed to be stopped. Sheik would not let Link's Hyrule crumble. But at the same time, she felt frightened for how soon she would meet _her _end. She sincerely hoped she would save Link from the Demon God before her death. And in the case that she would die shortly thereafter, Link's world would have mostly been saved from its eternal winter; giving him the opportunity to solely focus on the demons. Sheik felt as though this was her duty. She felt obligated to save the Hero. It gave her a sense of purpose. So, she hiked up the path. She would not falter. She couldn't risk failing. Eventually, prior to reaching the end of the trail, a pack of **six White Wolfos** ran toward her. They were eager to feast. So, too, was Sheik. The greater predator was bound to be chosen.

The first wolf jumped straight for her. Sheik withdrew her Regal Blade, and held out her arm. The White Wolfos deeply bit her. But she was ready to accept the pain. Once its teeth had broken through her skin, and made blood gush out, she thrust her sword upward; through its torso. Immediately, she spun around, and tossed it into the distance. Another wolf came running. It jumped over its dead comrade, and straight for Sheik's head. She rolled forward; just barely missing the bite. Two White Wolfos ran from either sides of her. She patiently waited. She pretended to be weak. And right as they approached her, she jabbed them in their necks with her Dual Daggers. She threw the dead savage wolves behind her. The wolf from earlier returned to her. She kicked herself back up, and, in the process, ended up getting her left leg bitten. Blood dripped off her leg and arm. The remaining White Wolfos were anticipating her death. One ran from behind her, and the other jumped up from ahead. A side-jump at just the right moment made the two wolves bash each other's heads. Quickly, Sheik jumped back, lunged down, and destroyed their necks with her daggers. But one they were dead, something strange happened. The blood from all six White Wolves turned black. Red symbols appeared along the ground. Frightened, Sheik made a run for it. She knew what was about to happen, and she didn't like it. Black figures emerged from the dead wolves. The Twili Interlopers withdrew their dual katanas from their shoulder sheaths, and chased after her. Sheik was reaching the end of the path. She needed to cautiously travel upward. Together with her Chain Dart, functioning as a parallel to Link's Grappling Hook, she began climbing up the mountain as carefully as possible, but also as quickly as possible. She desperately wanted to avoid the demons. There were various indents along the mountain. These crevices were large enough to stand in. These were also excellent portals for the Interlopers to reach Sheik. She climbed up to the first one. None of the Interlopers awaited her there. She realized the rockiness of the mountain, and how slowly she had been travelling up with the Chain Dart. She was nimble, so she decided to climb instead. And by doing this, she'd avoid more Interloper attacks. The moment she began to climb, two Interlopers teleported to her. She immediately got herself onto the mountain, and tried her best to avoid their brutal attacks. Spheres of dark magic were thrown; katanas were tossed – anything to make Sheik fall and meet her death.

Sheik could only climb up the visible rockiness of Snowpeak Mountain. Coming into contact with just the right amount of snow, and she would slip. Sheik continued climbing and hopping up the mountain. Every so often, she'd make her way to one of the crevices in the mountain, jab a dagger into the leg of an Interloper who wasn't paying attention, and throw the demon down the mountain. If dark magic were about to hit her head, she'd hop down to a lower position to bypass the damaging assault. The higher she reached, the more frightened she was of the possible situation that she would fall. But with enough determination, and enough caution, she eventually reached the summit. A single bare tree stood there. As well as some sort of dragon. But it was asleep. The Twili Interlopers teleported to her. She needed to keep them off her. She decided to deactivate them before making a run for it down the other side of the mountain. They all began attacking her as a group. Sheik launched a Smoke Bomb at the ground. The nearest two were simultaneously stabbed in the neck. Once they were released to fall to the ground, Sheik did a backflip, withdrew her Regal Blade, and performed a Spin Attack. Two pairs of thighs were sliced in half. The demons fell to the ground. But right as Sheik was about to perform her third and final attack to the last two Twili Interlopers, the smoke had dissipated. The remaining two had found themselves again. Immediately, they cut Sheik's back on either sides of her spine. She fell on her knees. One katana hovered near the left side of her neck, and one on the right. Blood dripped off them from when they cut her back. They were ready to return the pain to Sheik. But Sheik was ready to endure it. She grabbed onto both blades, and pulled downward. The Interlopers stuttered in their place. Sheik quickly got up. She had cuts on her hands, and she had been bleeding tremendously. She did not care. She would not lose. The Interlopers made sure to have their dual katanas out, rather than just the one. Sheik ran for the tree. She jumped onto the back of the dragon, and then climbed the tree until she reached a safe branch.

With her Chain Dart, she tossed a dagger, and stabbed one of the Twili Interlopers in the neck. She descended down with the chain in her hand, where the other was ready to slash at her torso. She side-jumped, took out her sword, and went to attack the remaining demon. It was quick to defend itself with its own blades. Sheik realized how close she was to the edge of the summit. It was a long way down to the mansion at the bottom. During the brief moment, in which she was distracted, the Interloper used its blade in congruence with hers, in order to throw off the side of the mountain. The Yeti had crafted a long slope down to their home many, many years ago. Normally, one would use an ice-board, and slide down the path _that_ way. However, there were no ice-boards at the time, and Sheik had suddenly been pushed off. As such, she slid down on her stomach, and began travelling down the long path to the mansion, more commonly known as **Snowpeak Ruins**. After a long and painful trip, Sheik eventually arrived. She stood up. For a moment, she could barely walk. The final Twili Interloper teleported to the door at the top of the staircase. Sheik grabbed onto the railing, and walked up. She took out her sword, and swung it forward. The demon clashed its blade with hers, as she anticipated. To its surprise, Sheik held one of her daggers in her left hand. With it, she stabbed him in the guts. Sheik took a few steps back, while the Interloper fell down in front of her. Blood spread everywhere from beneath him. Sheik walked around him, and entered through the door. On the second floor, her entrance lay to the next room. Chilfos—frigid bony soldiers with javelins—walked around the room from both floors. With some fire, their cold bones crumbled to the ground. Sheik used her new Chain Strap to reach the door via a nearby target. Upon arriving in the proceeding room, the six Twili Interlopers reactivated. They stood in a line. Their dual katanas were all drawn. Sheik tossed two Smoke Bombs. One per three demons. She then took out her daggers, and simultaneously jabbed two Interlopers in their necks. She let them fall to the ground.

When she went to face the third Interloper, it had already given her a cut on her stomach. The demon was trying its best to survive through the smoke. Sheik took her two daggers, and stabbed it in the neck. She tossed it to the side. At that moment, the remaining three Twili Interlopers flashed white. They were suddenly immune to the smoke. Sheik quickly tossed her Shuriken Bomb at the nearest Interloper. After the explosion, she used her Shuriken normally to provide a cut on the neck of the next one. Both remaining Interlopers ran toward her with their dual katanas in hand. Sheik blasted fire at them. She then rolled in front of them, withdrew her Regal Blade, and performed a Spin Attack. They fell on their knees. Both their heads were chopped off. As the demons hit the ground. The heads rolled off. Blood was all over the nice carpet. Sheik quickly went into the next room. There was a certain aroma within. Strangely, the Interlopers did not appear. Sheik glanced around the room in wonder of such a place. As she looked around, she began to realize she was in the kitchen. It was still. She heard no sounds or voices. There was quite a bit of food to eat. A pot on the stove was cooking something, too. She found a large plate of Calimoctorok, a popular Hylian sushi dish, in the fridge. She hadn't eaten in so long. She was very hungry, so she ate it all at a rather quick pace, and found it to be absolutely delicious. As she continued to look around the kitchen, she eventually landed upon a deep freezer, installed into the ground. When she opened it, dead bodies were within. And vials and cylinders of blood were in the little baskets. Heads were decapitated, and placed in a different section of the freezer. This absolutely disgusted Sheik. She shut the freezer immediately. She glanced out the windows. For some strange reason, the snow had a purple aura to it. From her position, the design appeared similar to the ones in the Temple of Time and in Minadu's chamber. This made her curious as to whether this was another portal. Certainly, it seemed to be the most efficient manner to travel to this Hyrule. As her thoughts, regarding the war brought to Snowpeak, distracted her, she had lost track of time. She could hear trembling getting closer and closer. It sounded like giant footsteps. Sheik had absolutely no idea what to expect. She withdrew her Regal Blade in preparation for a battle, but a battle she did not receive. Yeto, one of the two residents of Snowpeak, walked into the kitchen. He was startled to see a human in such a long time!

_A brief interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

Yeto – Oh! A human! Yeto no good at remembering faces or names, so apologies if we met before! I just come back to finish soup for wife, Yeta. Pumpkin soup with Ordon Goat Cheese. Her favourite! I almost done. Would you like to try? If something missing, please let Yeto know!

_He makes a big smile. Sheik [Link] hadn't seen someone so happy in ages. She [He] wished she [he] could be that happy._

_The player is given control while walking to the stove, and pressing the A-button prompt to drink soup from ladle. _

_Sheik [Link] nods in its perfection._

Yeto – You like? Excellent! Yeto take it to wife now. Would you come with? There are monsters and demons all over my house. I don't like them, and I'm worried Yeta won't get any soup. Will you come?

_Yes  
No_

Yeto – Yay! Thank you! Yeto take pot of soup, and you keep bad guys away. Sound good?

_Sheik [Link] nods. The player is then given control. _

Together with Yeto, Sheik entered the first room beyond the kitchen. Twili Interlopers were scattered all over the place. With each that approached them, Sheik took care of them. Her Dual Daggers were thrown at some necks. Legs were sliced off with her Regal Blade. The occasional demon received one of her explosive Shuriken Bomb attacks, or a simple Shuriken attack, or even a Chain Dart attack. Neither Yeto nor Sheik could proceed to the next room until all Interlopers had fallen in battle. The path needed to be clear. Once they were safe, they travelled onward. More of the demons awaited. Two ran toward them. Sheik froze them in place with her Blizzard Magic. Yeto wrapped one arm around the pot of soup, and shattered them to frosty dust with a strong punch. He was willing to assist. Meanwhile, another had appeared behind him. As soon as Sheik realized, she swiftly turned around, and chopped off its neck. With magic, weapons, and some strong punches and kicks, Sheik and Yeto effectively took care of the Interlopers in the room. They proceeded to the next one. The dual protagonists continued to fight. They eventually reached an exterior section of the mansion. They both had a better glimpse of the snow that glowed purple on the ground. Both Sheik and Yeto wondered what was in store for them. They continued on. Ice monsters were killed with fire. Many other monsters and demons were delivered magic attacks simply for convenience sake. However, most of the fighting was performed with a blade.

Dozens upon dozens of Twili Interlopers were deactivated. A plethora of monsters were killed. All merely to deliver soup to a Yeti wife. With how nice Yeto appeared, it seemed worth it. And in the end, they'd be free of chaos by the end of the day. Oni's fragment of power and hatred would be shattered momentarily. She would not allow him and his demons to stir trouble to one of the surviving races in Hyrule. Hell, she didn't even know if the Gorons were still alive! Nevertheless, they continued marching and fighting throughout the mansion until they eventually arrived at the chapel. However, as they entered, they noticed Twili Interlopers infesting every bench. They all stood up. Yeta was the only one sitting. Sheik did her best to take care of them all. Smoke Bombs were tossed from both hands. She walked forward until she reached the end of the smoke's range. She then blasted fire at both sides. She did her best to avoid attacking Yeta, who sat closer to the front. Row by row, she walked. The Interlopers on either sides of her had their necks jabbed in with her Dual Daggers. She then turned around, and used her Shuriken to decapitate as many demons as possible in a circular assault. A strong blast of ice followed after. She tried her absolute best to decapitate all of the Interlopers in the front rows. To which, success was given. The ice thawed. Many prepared to launch dark magic at her. Worried, Yeto put his pot of soup down, and destroyed one of the glass-sealed armouries, and took a large silver hammer. With it, he deactivated many demons in a single swing. Meanwhile, Sheik rolled and jumped out of the way from the approaching dark red spheres. After attacking and deactivating twenty of the forty Interlopers, they were all suddenly shut off completely, and disappeared.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Yeto puts the hammer down, picks up the pot of soup, and brings it to his wife, Yeta. Sheik [Link] walks to her from the other side. The size of her stomach is revealed. Despite the pain, she is very happy, and thankful for her husband and his new friend._

Yeto – My love, how is the baby?

Yeta – Almost here with us.

Yeto – I made you soup! Your favourite kind!

Yeta – Oh, thank you, Yeto! That's very nice of you!

Yeto – Well, I love you!

_Yeta smiles._

Yeta – Aww, I love you, too!

Yeto – Oh! Yeto nearly forgot! This is… Uh… Umm… Sorry, bad with names. What's your name again?

_OPTION A – If the player is playing as Link._

_Link nods and smiles._

Yeto – Oh! Link! That's right! Heh, heh! Thanks!

_OPTION B – If the player is playing as Sheik._

Sheik – It's Sheik.

Yeto – Oh! Sheik! A beautiful name!

Sheik – Heh! Thanks.

_Yeta starts groaning in pain. She holds out her hand._

Yeto – My love—

_Yeto takes her hand._

Yeta – Not now, dear! The b-baby is r-ready! Must – push!

_Blackout._

_The earth begins to rumble. Alongside this, the sound of Yeta's painful groaning is heard. After a few moments, a baby begins to cry. Fade from black. The baby is in Yeto's arms._

Yeto – Something going on, but Yeto doesn't care. The baby makes me happy. I'm so happy to finally meet you face to face! Yeta, let's name him after our friend!

Yeta – As long as that's okay!

_Sheik [Link] nods. Yeto then gleefully raises Yeti baby Sheik [Yeti baby Link] into the air._

Yeto – Then so it is done!

_The ground begins to rumble more. _

Yeto – Yeto know secret route to get out of Snowpeak, if you're in need of hurry. There is a tunnel beginning somewhere in the courtyard. You'll find a little underground room there. Pull all of the ceiling switches, and then turn the wheel at the end of the room. Wall slide down. Very cold water will rise, and then push you into the river. Goes all the way around.

_Sheik [Link] nods._

Yeta – We are okay here. Go do what you need to do.

_She smiles. Sheik walks out of the chapel._

_Blackout._

_A first person perspective shows forty Twili Interlopers lined up in three rows of ten, one row of seven, and one row of three – all standing in the courtyard. The trio are bowing down to their Demon God, Oni. They stand up shortly after._

Twili Interloper 1 – We apologize for our continued failures, Master.

Twili Interloper 2 – It won't happen again.

Twili Interloper 3 – We will try harder next time.

Oni – I— I don't even know what to say anymore! I've ordered you countless times to kill. _Kill!_ And time after time again, you continue to disappoint me. You are weak! Weak and meaningless!

Twili Interloper 1 – Master—

Oni – No more _"Master_". I'm done with all of you. I'll handle this all myself.

Twili Interloper 2 – But you cannot do this, milord!

Oni – Cease your foolishness! I grow tired of your opinions and ideas! Nothing good _ever_ comes out of your mouths! We are through. No longer am I the _"Demon God"_.

_Pause._

Oni – Now? Now I am just a god. You may all leave.

Twili Interloper 3 – We do not want to leave, though! We want to help you, Master!

Twili Interloper 1 – Please, let us continue our work!

Twili Interloper 2 – This realm is nearly yours! Let us help!

Oni – _I DON'T NEED YOUR FUCKING HELP!_

_Footsteps are heard from behind him. Oni is about to continue yelling when he realizes this. He turns around. Sheik [Link] is there. His tone suddenly turns calm. His breathing is a little heavy._

Oni – You want to help, demons?

All Three – Yes, milord!

Oni – Kill that brat. Once and for all.

All Three – With pleasure, Master!

_He snaps his fingers, and disappears. Sheik [Link] withdraws her [his] blade. The perspective changes to its usual angle. All forty Interlopers rise up, and hover in mid-air. Following a flash, they all transform into one single entity – an __**Interloper Dragon**__. The player is then given control._

The Realm Destroyer immediately swooped down to grab Sheik in one of its claws. Sheik rolled forward at just the right moment, and stabbed it in the stomach with her Regal Blade. She then quickly turned around, and used her new Chain Strap to get onto its back. She stabbed the dragon in its neck with her Dual Daggers, and held on for dear life. The Interloper Dragon tried its best to get her off. It first made a very tight turn, but Sheik simply crawled over to better position, and stabbed the dragon again. It then began spinning around. This definitely got Sheik off it. The Interloper Dragon then started preparing a large blast of dark magic in its mouth. Sheik was quick to attack its stomach with her Shuriken Bomb. Although the attack was not at the strength the dragon wanted, it was still very strong. As such, Sheik did her best to dodge. She then responded with powerful Volcano Magic. The Realm Destroyer took two of its katana wings—one per each claw—and attacked. Sheik dodged one, but received a cut on her arm with the other. She ran to reach a better position, with one hand on her bleeding arm. The dragon chased after. Once she turned around, the Interloper Dragon was very close by. It spun around to attack her with its tail. Sheik patiently waited for it to be facing away from her, and then flew onto its back. She stabbed it yet again in the neck. The dragon suddenly decided to land. And as it walked around, Sheik noticed a shadow on the snow. It was getting stronger and stronger. She looked up in the sky, and noticed the earlier dragon approaching them. It had awoken from its slumber, and was preparing to launch a mighty fire attack. Sheik plucked her daggers from the Interloper Dragon's neck, and then jumped off from its head. Though, the Realm Destroyer was oblivious to the approaching newcomer. It attacked Sheik with spheres of dark energy from both claws. She was hit by both. The dragon then dual-wielded katanas again, and threw them at Sheik one at a time. They were thrown at such an angle that they were difficult to avoid. Sheik ended up getting cut on her thigh and her cheek. Part of her mask had been sliced off. Before even blasting Volcano Magic at the Interloper Dragon, the other monstrous creature had arrived, and breathed an almighty volcano eruption-like attack at the Realm Destroyer. The new dragon was an even bigger size than the Interloper Dragon! They watched as the demonic dragon briefly flashed. The body no longer existed. Only the individual Twili Interlopers themselves. The giant dragon froze every single one of them, and then shattered them to black particles with its tail. The battle was over.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Oni threatens Sheik [Link] by speaking to her [him] in her [his] head._

Oni (voice) – I will not let this end so easily, with you and your new friend. I'm going to continue to let you suffer. You will face the consequences of continuing to deal with me. There will be no such thing as prosperity for you, nor for your people. Now, watch this:

_A barrier of purple surrounds the entire mansion. _

Oni (voice) – _YOU WANT HAPPINESS?!_

_Electricity surges within the barrier. The earth trembles greatly. An avalanche occurs on the mountain._

Oni (voice) – _YOU DON'T DESERVE HAPPINESS!_

_All of Snowpeak Ruins explodes. Flames engulf all over. Large amounts of smoke fill the air. Sheik [Link] didn't realize it earlier, but the dragon's fiery attack caused the underground room to appear. She [He] is just a footstep away from falling in. The dragon turns around. It is unaware of Oni. His voice only speaks to Sheik [Link]. And the dragon blames her [him] for destroying an integral part of its home, and for murdering the Yeti who lived here. The dragon is enraged. It wants to kill her [him] so bad. Sheik [Link] walks back; frightened. She [He] trips, and falls into the underground chamber. Having fallen on her [his] back, she [he] quickly freezes the hole with strong Blizzard Magic [with his Blizzard Rod]. She [He] needs enough time to get out of the area. When she [he] stands up, she [he] notices bars at either sides of her [him]. Imprisonment chambers. This makes her [him] curious. She [He] continues walking through the main path of the room in wonder, but also in search of the ceiling switches. Then, she [he] realizes that she [he] isn't the only person in the room. There is a person in each cell. The Resistance._

_OPTION A – If the player is playing as Link._

_Rusl hears something. He gets up off the ground, and sees his friend standing on the other side of the barred door. _

Rusl – Link? Link, is that really you?

_Auru gets up, and gazes from his cell._

Auru – Link! You're alive!

_The others, who were napping, awake, and stand up one after the other._

Ashei – Oh my god! We thought you were dead!

Telma – Sweetums, we've missed you so much!

Shad – Uh, guys? How about we stop gushing over the return of our friend—it's good to see you alive, by the way—and let him help us get out of here before the demons return?!

_Auru straightens his posture._

Auru – Yes, thank you, Shad.

_Link nods._

Auru – Ceiling switches, eh?

Telma – I knew I saw something bizarre when I was laying down.

_The cutscene continues on Page 95._

_OPTION B – If the player is playing as Sheik._

_Rusl hears something. He gets up off the ground, and sees his friend and brother standing on the other side of the barred door. _

Rusl – Who—? Who are you?!

_Auru gets up, and gazes from his cell._

Auru – A Sheikah!

_The others, who were napping, awake, and stand up one after the other._

Ashei – Oh my god! We thought your kind went extinct!

Sheik – And it did. I just happen to be here.

Shad – You're from… the Temple, right? One-hundred years in the past?

Sheik – Yes.

Telma – Sweetie, you remind me of someone very close to me. A brave woman who I sincerely hope is okay.

Sheik – She isn't.

Telma – You know Zelda?

Sheik – I know _of_ her. And what _became _of her.

Rusl – And Link! Where is he?

Sheik – I'm trying to save him. I'm not letting him die like the rest of your people.

_Auru straightens his posture._

Auru – I told you they love a damn good war.

Ashei – Where's Link now?

Sheik – His mind is dormant, but his body is being used by Oni.

Shad – The Demon God!

_Pause._

Ashei – May we get out of here now, yeah?

Sheik – We'll be taken out via the river. From what I'm told, there should be ceiling switches.

_They all start rubbing their hands along the ceiling. Shad is the first to find one. His cell opens, and he walks out. After him, Telma. After her, Ashei. After her, Auru. After him, Rusl. Sheik [Link] walks to the end of the hall, and turns the wheel. She [He] opens the sturdy square door of iron. River water fills the room from below. It then surges them out. A strong force carries them through Snowpeak River, which goes all the way around the mountain, and connects to Zora's River. They land in the deepest section, near the entrance to Snowpeak. They swim up, and each get onto a platform of ice. High above them, the giant dragon is flying around in search of the one who it believes responsible for the chaos. Rusl notices it. He points at it._

Rusl – That doesn't look good!

_Sheik [Link] gets her [his] blade out. Ashei gets her rapier out._

Ashei – Well, I guess we have no choice, yeah? We're fighting it!

_Telma takes out her bow._

Telma – I'm ready!

_Shad takes out his book of sorcery._

Shad – As am I!

_Auru gets his Bomb Launcher out._

Auru – We'll take care of this monstrous creature easily!

_Rusl readies his sword and shield, but first calls his hawk to lure the dragon all the way down to them. It arrives._

"_SNOWPEAK PROTECTOR: __**WOLFOS DRAGON**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

Auru started off the fight by blasting a Bomb at the Wolfos Dragon. When it had been hit, Sheik used her new Chain Strap to get onto its head, but the dragon bit the chain, and tossed Sheik into the river. It then swooped a bit further down, and created a frosty, icy breath for its mortal enemy. Both Sheik and Shad retorted with fire. The Wolfos Dragon went over to Shad to attack him with its tail. Sheik soared onto its head with the use of her Chain Strap. With her Dual Daggers, she stabbed it in the neck. The dragon then returned to the air. Sheik held on tight. As they reached a great enough altitude, Sheik was hit by its tail. She slipped, and ended up dangling off the side, with her hands still holding onto the implanted daggers. The Wolfos Dragon grabbed her in its claw, and threw her far down into the river. The dragon dove straight down, and went to devour her under the water. Sheik used her Blizzard Magic to freeze the submerged parts of its body. Almost instantly, the ice shattered, but Sheik was already on its back again. Meanwhile, Rusl and Ashei were slashing away at its limbs. The dragon swiped its tail back-and-forth. Both warriors were knocked down, and Sheik hit her head on her inserted daggers. They headed up into the sky. Sheik stabbed it yet again in the neck. The dragon hit her yet again with its tail. She slipped off the side of its body, and firmly held onto her daggers once more. Luckily, she climbed back up. Auru fired another Bomb at the dragon's belly. They swooped straight down.

Sheik and the Wolfos Dragon crashed on the fair bit of frozen river. A blanket of ice covered it. And, due to the very sizeable weight of the dragon, it was starting to crack. It began attacking Sheik with its wings. Sheik blasted fire at them, which did quite a bit of damage, surprisingly. She then continued with an ice attack. Telma denied the dragon's use of flying by shattering the ice, and thus, further destroying the wings. Sheik dove into the river. But she found she wasn't the only swimmer. There were White Wolfos waiting for her. Sheik used Volcano Magic to weaken them, and then her Shuriken Bomb to destroy them. During this distraction, the Wolfos Dragon breathed ice at Sheik, and then fetched her out with its claw. Shad used a fire attack, Ashei and Rusl continued to slash away, and Telma shot Arrows. The dragon tried its best to deal with the pain, but became a nuisance when trying to bite Sheik. Eventually, she was let go. She got to a better, safer position, and drank one of her Blue Potions. The Wolfos Dragon slid on the ice over to her, snatched her up, and squeezed her. Sheik wiggled to be let free, but it never worked. The Resistance continued to attack. Again, it breathed ice at her. She was dramatically weakening once more. She was then bitten. When she regained consciousness after her brief freezing, Telma had managed to get Sheik's arms and hands free. She blasted fire at the dragon's face. Sheik was let go. The dragon took a few steps back. Auru fired yet another Bomb. The ice shattered, and the dragon fell through. Sheik withdrew her Regal Blade, and jumped into the very cold water. She stabbed its neck repeatedly until the water suddenly gained a faint colour of red. She then got out of the water. Together with Shad, Telma fired a single arrow of fire to be certain. The red in the water grew stronger, and more visible.

_A cutscene ensues. _

_The Wolfos Dragon's body begins turning black. It transforms into a spiralling surge of black smoke, which makes its way into the sky. Black dust is momentarily left behind, during the moments in which the smoke is visible. Upon making contact with the clouds, the darkness dissipates. The clouds disappear. The snow stops shimmering from the heavens, and begins to somewhat melt from the mountain. The frozen river begins to thaw. The dragon's carcass explodes. A __**Heart Container**__ shoots out with the explosion, and lands a fair distance away from Sheik [Link] and the group. The player is then given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_A cutscene ensues._

Telma – Hey! We're in this together! If you need us, we're there!

_Sheik [Link] smiles and nods. She [He] then exits Snowpeak._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT X – Can't Have Everything**

_**Acts VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by the Sages. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these six acts.**_

Sliding down the icy, frozen waterfall, Alie gleefully made her way to Sheik. The Acid Dragon was eager to continue assisting her new motherly figure in the adventure. But the more they gazed into each other's eyes, the more Alie could sense that something was not right. She started to look sad. But nevertheless, Sheik still climbed on Alie's back. And as they slid and glided down the frozen Zora's River, thoughts poured into Sheik's mind. She couldn't help but be frustrated and flabbergasted at how she said goodbye to The Resistance. All she did was nod and smile! She didn't even say a word! And yet, she felt it odd that she had been so worked up over such a small little thing. Why? Why did that simple goodbye bother her so? Clearly, she could have said more. She could have had a larger and longer moment with them after the battle. After all, she had quite a bit to say. Namely, her past, present, and future. She had lost a Link, she was worried that she would lose the next, and she received a prophecy regarding her ultimate fate. So why leave with a nod and a smile? Additionally, why was this such a concern? This frustrated her, and she didn't know why. Eventually, her consciousness awoke, and she realized that she and Alie had been sliding on a river, and were about to come into contact with giant boulders; leading into the rapids. Sheik tossed her Shuriken Bomb, and watched them explode into bits. They continued sliding and gliding. However, the path drew narrower, and more dangerous. There was a clear set path of ice. Very curvy and bouncy, as it headed downward to Lake Hylia. They tried their absolute best not to slip and fall off the edge. Yes, the edge. A large, deep abyss awaited them at either sides of the rapids. Too large of a turn, or too large of a jump, and down to their deaths they would go. They made sure to avoid such a thing from occurring, but their luck seemed to have run out. They slipped upon nearing their destination. A tight turn caused Alie to greatly slip on the ice, and hang off the edge. Sheik quickly ran up her back and head, and awaited her to climb back up. Alie was technically still a baby, despite her large size. She hadn't yet learned to fly, so it was a bit more challenging. However, she eventually got up. Alie and Sheik continued making their way, until the rapids widened greatly, and formed a circle, with two paths: one they arrived from, and one past the circle. Unbeknownst to either of them, this was their destination. And to prove this to them, the water immediately thawed, and a whirlpool was formed. Alie and Sheik were thrust into a spiralling ride to their doom: the middle. Six barriers formed around the circle. Each beared a different colour. They clearly had a weak spot in the front. Sheik hit them all with her Shuriken Bomb. The barriers all rose much higher. Alie and Sheik were also raised, but only slightly. More weak spots were visible. Again, she hit the targets. The barriers rose even higher. Alie and Sheik rose to about half the height of the barriers. One last set to hit. And when she did, the ground shook tremendously.

_A cutscene ensues._

_The structure beneath them rises to such an absurdly high level that it utterly destroys most of the funded bridge from Link's previous adventure. Alie and Sheik [Link] are both thrown off. Alie lands on one of the ice paths, while Sheik [Link] lands in the water. She [He] finds it odd that they had arrived so soon; that the adventure to this place had been so quick and simple. Regardless, the entrance to said place is revealed to be at the bottom of the river. Sheik [Link] swims her [his] way there, and heads inside. The player is then given control._

The long path, to the main hub of the dungeon, mimicked Lakebed Temple's. The walls were made of the same materials; the aqueous creatures were the same; algae danced around in a similar manner. Sheik swam past the monsters, and travelled up the watery tube. She eventually reached her destination. The tower contained seven floors. However, the seventh merely held an exit, and it remained inaccessible until the other six were deemed complete. There was few ground to step on in the tower. The borders of each floor stuck out, with the exception of the seventh. Switches rested along the walls of each floor. The order, in which the water would rise or lower, was completely random. They were all inactive, except for the one next to Sheik. When it was hit, she was taken to the third floor. **Ruto's Ghost **awaited her. Before beginning the battle, she informed Sheik, _"Seven trials await. Six apart, and one whole."_ Ruto's Ghost dove into the water. Sheik followed. The Water Sage didn't make a move; only waiting for Sheik to deliver the first strike. As an opening assault, she blasted ice. Ruto's Ghost was frozen for a very short amount of time. Upon breaking free, she summoned a swarm of **Skullfish** and **Desbreko**. Ravenous, carnivorous, and aqueous beasts. Sheik froze them to death with hefty Blizzard Magic. The Water Sage collected them all, and created an axe out of their bones. A large surprise to Sheik. Ruto's Ghost slashed away. Sheik tried her best to avoid the attacks, and then blasted more ice. A swing from the axe, and the ice was shattered. For once, being underwater made her feel powerless. A Shuriken Bomb attack did some damage, but nothing all too victorious. Ruto's Ghost soared out of the water, hovered in mid-air, and froze Sheik within. A couple Shuriken Bomb blasts broke the ice.

Before she could even get out of the water, another swarm of Skullfish and Desbreko began racing up to her. Sheik climbed out as fast as she could. She carefully walked along the blue border, and blasted Volcano Magic at the Water Sage. A retort was made with ice. The elements battled each other between them. They both tried their hardest to overcome the other, but Sheik's resilience came through, and burned the ghost. She climbed up the wall, performed a wall jump upon reaching the same altitude as Ruto's Ghost, and delivered a successful completion with Dual Daggers to the neck. _"No hard feelings, of course."_ The switch on the wall, across from where Sheik had climbed, activated. She hit it, and the water lowered to the second floor. The actual first floor of the dungeon, not the main floor. Nobody appeared. So, Sheik climbed up onto the purple border. The border closed in. Impa, Sage of Shadow, appeared. The room grew dark, and Impa was nowhere to be found. Based on the eerie sounds, Sheik was under the assumption that she would next face a **Poltergohma**. The invisible spider crawled around the room. In order to see something, Sheik blasted fire in a general area. In a flash, the Poltergohma became visible. Sheik jabbed her in the eye. Shortly after, Gohma Larvae infested the room, after shooting out of the Poltergohma's womb. They all hatched in an instant, and huddled around Sheik. With several slashes, they were all killed. All the while, their mother found a new hiding spot elsewhere. The Poltergohma appeared along the border above, where she blasted a large beam of fire from her eye. Sheik had to avoid it, while trying to attack the eye with Blizzard Magic. Upon succession, the eye froze. Her Shuriken Bomb was thrown at it. Hatched infant Gohma crawled out of their mother's eye socket, plopped to the floor, and swarmed Sheik again. The same tactic was repeated. As it turned out, however, Sheik didn't actually shatter the Poltergohma's eye. One of her infants held onto it. The baby put it back into place. The Poltergohma disappeared. Sheik blasted fire in the direction where she imagined it was, but she had heard infant Gohma crawling instead. Their mother was, in fact, behind Sheik. Web began to wrap around her. Before she would become a cocoon, Sheik turned around, and jabbed the Poltergohma in the eye. She plucked it out to be sure. The spider became visible, and collapsed to the floor. The switch activated. Sheik hit it with the eye.

The floor returned to its former border form. Sheik rode the gush of water all the way up to the fifth floor. Saria, Sage of Forest, awaited her there. A light flashed, and Saria had been transformed into a group of **ten Mega Dragonflies**. They all flew toward Sheik, and zapped the electricity from their tails. She dove underwater, where they couldn't hit her, and then blasted Blizzard Magic at them. They all froze. Sheik tossed her Shuriken Bomb, and made a few explode. With more room to breathe in, she got out of the water, and attacked with her Regal Blade. But before she could kill them all, the remaining Mega Dragonflies formed into an electric tornado. It chased after her. Sheik jumped into the water, and dove a fair distance below. The insects brought their electric current into the water. Immediately, Sheik used Leaf Magic, and soared out before getting electrocuted. Dragonflies were killed in a single launch upward. The tornado became a whirlpool, and the current had become so powerful that the Mega Dragonflies had all been zapped back to life. Sheik had been zapped, too. She tripped on the edge of the perimeter platform, and fell into the water, where the electricity very much got to her. With some powerful ice, she managed to temporarily cease the flow. Again, she soared out with Leaf Magic, and then blasted fire at the icy electric whirlpool. The Mega Dragonflies awoke and swarmed to Sheik. She burned them all, but the electric current started to go haywire from the added heat. They were all revived once again, while Sheik fell back into the whirlpool. She tried to get control of herself before burning to a crisp, and used up her remaining magic to temporarily freeze the water. She jumped back up. Mega Dragonflies were all around her. She performed a Spin Attack. They all returned to the ground. While they were all down, and the whirlpool was still out of order, she simultaneously drank her last Blue Potion, and hit the switch. After finishing her drink, Sheik followed the path of water down to the first floor, where the Sage of Spirit, Nabooru, greeted her.

A flash of light transformed the Sage into a **Mogma**, and the water to sand. The Mogma burrowed into the sand. Sheik made its movements more visible by using Leaf Magic, and then continuing the assault with a dual blast of fire and ice. With the added moisture, it made burrowing and digging a lot harder to do for the Mogma. Sheik turned her blade downward, and plunged into the pit to kill the Mogma, but by the time she had arrived, the mole was already burrowing to a drier section below, and Sheik had gotten her sword stuck in the hole. The Mogma briefly dug its way back up, and bit Sheik in the ankle. It returned underground. The sand was suddenly sinking her in. The hole in the middle, where her sword was implanted, was turning the pit into quicksand. Sheik was starting to fall in. She quickly made a pillar of sand with her Sand Rod, and held on. One after the other, she arduously made her way out. She then blasted more ice, and froze the hole at the center. The sinking stopped. She followed that up with Volcano Magic. The Mogma somehow rose up from all that. She grabbed the mole with her Chain Strap, and then stabbed it in mid-air. The tip of her blade, after piercing through its torso, hit the switch right at activation. All the sand became very, very wet. Sheik removed the Mogma from her Regal Blade. She watched as a large amount of wet sand gushed up to the fifth floor. Obviously, swimming through it would be impossible. However, the sand eventually dissipated. After a certain length of time, the sand simply sprinkled the water with its particles. This was much easier to swim through, and as such, Sheik swam up the gush of water to the sixth floor, where Rauru, Sage of Light, awaited.

As Sheik climbed up onto the ledge, the actual floor was filled. Following a flash of light, Rauru had transformed into a **Lightnut**. With armour made of pyrite, but an axe and shield all the same, Sheik needed to face against one of the strongest knights, if not _the_ strongest knight, in all of Hyrule. It started off by performing a Jump Attack at Sheik, to which she side-jumped out of the way, and all the way around to its weak spot, whereby she utterly destroyed a good portion of its armour. The Lightnut turned around immediately with a swipe. She had been hit that time. During the brief moment that it had been not attacking, Sheik ran up its shield, and slashed away at its helmet. Before even shattering it off, the Lightnut had already shook her off. A trio of swipes were made, Sheik continually back-flipped until it was done. Upon which, she would roll over to its backside, and attack its weak spot once more. Once its armour had been dismantled, the Lightnut revealed its mere simple coating. Its regular Darknut outfit was beneath. Another round was made, as Sheik continued to destroy its second coat of heavy armour. Many attacks were successful; many weren't. As soon as the Darknut armour was removed, it decided to depart the axe and shield, and tossed them both at Sheik. She somehow managed to dodge both, to her surprise. With chainmail as its third armour, and a fencing sword as its second weapon, the Lightnut was nearing its demise. Every one of Sheik's attacks were dodged. The Lightnut had been very strong with the sword. As a different route, she tried freezing it with Blizzard Magic, and then destroyed its body from behind. The majority of the time it worked. Occasionally, Volcano Magic had been used instead, since the Lightnut grew more intelligent, and more aware of Sheik's continued tactics. With enough weakening to the both of them, the Lightnut eventually reached its end. It fell onto its knees, and then onto the ground. With the battle over, the switch, to the second-to-last trial, activated. Sheik hit it with the axe the Lightnut tossed away. The floor separated back into the golden border. She then swam down to the third floor, and acquainted herself with Darunia, Sage of Fire.

The room turned a flame red. Darunia's body flashed, while the ground was filled. When the transformation was complete, **three Mighty Lynel** stood directly in front of Sheik. All three of them released a large flamethrower out of their mouths. Sheik froze them_ and_ the flames, just before getting burned. She tossed her Shuriken Bomb at the first one, which weakened it dramatically. By that point, the other two had broken free from their icy coatings, and continued breathing fire as if nothing had ever happened. Sheik ran over to the first one before it breathed fire, and faced all three of them. She slashed away before it could even use its wonderful flamethrower, while also using the Lynel as a shield from the other two. With a matter of perseverance, the first was down. She immediately used Blizzard Magic on the second. The third continued to breathe fire. Sheik made it melt the ice, and then attack with her Shuriken Bomb, followed by some sword slashes. The second was down. Sheik had gotten burned by the final Lynel once the dead one had hit the ground. She used Blizzard Magic again, but the Lynel somehow managed to break free quicker than usual. Having been in a rather close proximity, Sheik swung her sword back-and-forth at its belly, in order to avoid more flamethrowers. She continued and continued and continued until it was finally down. As per the usual routine, she collected the monster materials left behind, and then hit the switch. The floor opened up. The thrust of water brought Sheik all the way to the top – the seventh floor. The ground sealed. Along the perimeter, pots awaited her. A couple fairies, some Rupees, and some Magic. Both Empty Bottles were made full again, and her Magic Meter, too. The archway to the outside world was there. She stepped out. An entrance to Hyrule Castle Town was in front of her. On either sides of the bridge, far, far at the bottom, was the frozen river. Only it wouldn't be frozen for long. Sheik wandered into the abandoned Castle Town, but not before calling upon Alie with her Dragon Call. She figured it would be interesting to bring her with. There was a breeze. And it grew stronger… and stronger… and stronger. She turned around.

_An interactive discussion temporarily ends the allowance to travel through the area._

_A simple, normal-looking dragon lands in front of Sheik [Link]. The dragon has no specific personality or type or genre. Nothing special about it at all. The Sages, back in their present form, surround Sheik [Link] at a comfortable distance. _

Sage of Light – Truth be told, we haven't much power left.

Sage of Fire – All of what remains of us, we displace on the two of you.

Sage of Shadow – In our old life—the life our dear Zelda remembers us as—we'd seal the darkness in the Sacred Realm.

Sage of Forest – But there is no purpose or meaning for that with this episode.

Sage of Spirit – The Sacred Realm has been poisoned; transformed; twisted.

Sage of Fire – The Demon God's future lays not by us, but by his equal.

Sage of Spirit – The Goddess of the Shadows will awaken in some way, at some time, but we do not know how or when.

Sage of Light – Only that she will take care of what is usually done by us.

Sage of Forest – And now, please accept our final offering and trial…

Sage of Shadows – …before we disappear into the darkness, and leave fate to you mortals, and to the gods.

_The Sages merge with the dragon. Colours are divided equally along its body. It flies into the sky, and watches Sheik [Link]._

"_REALM PROTECTOR: __**SAGE DRAGON**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

Alie and Sheik walked around the Castle Town walls. They watched for the Sage Dragon's opening move, but the dragon was doing the same. Since nobody had attacked, Alie and Sheik escaped into the darkness, where they would be strongest. During the period in which Sheik had spent time in the tower, the sky had already set, though the clouds remained, and snow fell. With a vague visibility from the yellow sky, Alie and Sheik made their way behind the Sage Dragon. Once they arrived, Sheik used her Chain Strap to launch herself onto the dragon's back. When she landed, she briefly bounced off its back, performed a front flip, and jabbed its neck with her Dual Daggers. Blood splurted out. The dragon's body suddenly flashed. Its tinge became red, rather than a multitude of colours as before. A large blast of fire engulfed out of its mouth. With Sheik on its back, the dragon flew around, in search of Alie. When it had found her, the Sage Dragon spun around in circles, and breathed a continual blast of fire. However, the area, in which Alie stood, became completely dark momentarily. She found a different spot, and sprayed acid at its tail, which didn't do all too much. Meanwhile, Sheik had fallen off the Sage Dragon's back, and hurt herself on the ground. She got back up, and saddled herself onto her pet's back. After also unexpectedly hitting the ground, the Sage Dragon turned around, and turned the abandoned square-shaped Castle Town into its own personal playground.

Flames infested the entire area. The dragon wished to seek Alie and Sheik in the dreadful darkness. When it had found them, the flames turned to volcanic lava. Sheik tried avoiding it at first, but she eventually decided to counter it with Blizzard Magic. All of the lava had suddenly become molten rock. The dragon's breath had cooled. The molten rock, due to it still emerging from the Sage Dragon's mouth, became a ramp of sorts. Sheik dismounted from Alie, and ran up the path she had created for herself. Again, she stabbed the dragon in the neck. All of the molten rock escaped its mouth as vomit. Its body flashed, and then became slightly blue. Sheik tried removing her daggers, but the Sage Dragon's body temperature had reduced to such a frigid temperature that they were practically stuck. The dragon spun around, and tossed Sheik off. Alie ran forward and caught her. The dragon then turned all of Castle Town into a giant pool. Alie could not swim, so the two merely stayed afloat. Sheik used her Chain Strap to get back onto the Sage Dragon's head, however she did not make it. Alie and Sheik rose above the water for a very brief moment. But it was short enough for the dragon to turn the water to ice, and have Alie and Sheik skate around. As they did, the Realm Protector swooped down to attack with its tail, but before even doing so, duplicates appeared all around. The dragons all gained a hue of purple as a new replacement to the blue. They spun around very fast, in order to create an illusion of which three were fake, and which one was real. Then, they slowed, but still circled around them in mid-air. Sheik paid close attention to each one as they slid along the ice. The more she stared at the dragons, the more obvious it became. She slashed the one with daggers lodged in its neck. The other three disappeared. Sheik used her Chain Strap, got on its back, withdrew her daggers from its neck, put them back, and blasted fire to its wings. The Sage Dragon growled in immense pain, landed on the ice—which ultimately cracked wherever it stepped—and then transitioned its colour to beige. Swarms of Keese flew out of the dragon's wings, and absolutely surrounded Sheik. The dragon needed to heal, so it did not do anything. Alie killed many Keese with her acid breath, while Sheik slashed away.

Eventually, the Realm Protector had healed. It regurgitated large amounts of sand, which Alie turned to glass with acid. She then spun around, and shattered the glass with her tail. Hundreds of tiny shards entered its body. It growled in pain again. Sheik used her Chain Dart, and implanted a dagger at the top of its head. She performed a front flip, landed on Alie's back, and ran away with chain in hand. As they grew further and further apart—approaching the farthest distance, where pulling would commence—the Sage Dragon flashed, and had its body glow green. The dragon suddenly returned to the air, which transformed it into a kite of sorts. A large hole remained from where it had previously stood. The dragon flapped its wings, which created humongous blasts of wind toward Alie and Sheik. With such gusts, it became difficult to perform any sort of assault. Fire and ice were wiped. Sheik tried her Shuriken Bomb, and ruined the dragon's right wing. As soon as her projectile explosive returned to her, she did the same to the other. She then yanked the chain, and pulled the Sage Dragon in, as best she could. As it descended to the ground, the scales were expected to change from green to gold. When it had been lured into its own hole of ice, its colour still had not changed. Sheik used Blizzard Magic to freeze the Realm Protector within the pool it had created. With her other dagger, she stabbed the dragon in the head. Its entire body turned to ice the moment she had removed her weapons from its body. She back-flipped, and gazed at the chaos momentarily. Expecting a sixth and final round, Sheik did not receive it. A Heart Container did not appear either. This made her curious. She thawed the ice with Volcano Magic. Alie and Sheik gradually descended to ground level, once all had melted. They made their way to the unconscious dragon. A voice spoke to Sheik.

_OPTION A – If the player HASN'T cleared Snowpeak._

_A cutscene ensues. _

Oni (voice) – I expected more of you. Perhaps you'd prefer a greater challenge? Very well. I shall grant it to you.

_Red symbols appear along the ground. The unconscious dragon rises into the air. Alie and Sheik's [Link's] heads rise as they watch the surprise. Its body flashes. Darkness shimmers along its body like never-dissipating black smoke. Its eyes open. They are red. The __**Cursed Sage Dragon **__growls extremely angrily. It creates large spheres of black energy from both claws, and from its mouth. Alie and Sheik [Link] run around to avoid it. Oni laughs maniacally. Before the dark magic is launched at them, Sheik [Link] tosses her Shuriken Bomb [blasts a Bomb Arrow] at the dragon's belly. She [He] takes charge. The player is given control._

Interlopers were summoned to the surface. With their Dual Demonic Katanas, all twenty of them ran to Sheik. Heads were removed from several bodies with the blades of her Shuriken. She tossed Smoke Bombs from both hands. Many stuttered in their march, and coughed greatly. Sheik swung her sword, and sliced multiple bodies in half. The rest were burned by the dragon's fiery breath. It had been so almighty and powerful that Sheik needed to get out of the way. The dragon then breathed ice to her, to which she retorted with Volcano Magic. In the midst of the chaos, the Cursed Sage Dragon had already finished breathing ice, and swung over to Sheik with a tail attack. Sheik back-flipped, and then got onto the dragon's back. She ran up to its head, while throwing her Chain Dart at its skull, which followed by a forward-flip over. She yanked the dragon down to ground level, turned around, and then stabbed it again in the head. She plucked both daggers out. Twili Interlopers were behind her, and about to attack. Two Smoke Bombs were thrown behind her. She then tossed her Shuriken around with her right hand, and caught it with her left. She immediately stabbed the dragon in its head, with one of the blades, before it would even stand back up. And when it had, it blasted wind from its mouth. The gust had been so strong that Sheik and the deactivated Interlopers were taken all the way back to one of the perimeter walls. The Cursed Sage Dragon walked toward them. It suddenly flashed like a technological failure, and four duplicates suddenly appeared. Another flash to shuffle them around. Alie, who had been hidden in the darkness, spewed acid at all five of them from behind. Sheik could see such an occurrence, due to the acid going through some of the hollow bodies. Sheik used her Chain Dart at the real one before it would turn around to attack Alie. She hit the dragon in the head just as it was turning. She yanked the dragon back. The Twili Interlopers awoke. With one hand, she continued to yank, while she tossed a Smoke Bomb in either direction with the other. Half-paying attention, Sheik had pulled the dagger out. After gazing at the smoggy visibility to her left, she had realized the dragon had been let loose. It had disappeared into the darkness. Sheik had been in the middle of an Interloper conflict, and let Alie find the Cursed Sage Dragon. With her Regal Blade, she sliced as many torsos as possible within the vicinity. When there were few activated ones remaining, she ran off, and let them group together. She tossed her Shuriken Bomb, and watched as most exploded. Two remained. She walked up to them, and doubly stabbed them in the neck with her daggers. When she turned back around, Alie had found the dragon. She brought it into the light. Its body was covered in sand. Sheik watched as her dragon pet turned it entirely to glass. Alie ran over to Sheik, and let the disguised princess climb on her back. Sheik tossed her Shuriken Bomb, and watched as the dragon exploded to shards. The Sages appeared in a circle, with Oni—a humanoid figure of black smoke—at the center.

_OPTION B – If the player HAS cleared Snowpeak._

_A cutscene ensues._

Oni (voice) – I expected more of you. Perhaps you'd prefer a greater challenge? Very well. I shall grant it to you.

_Red symbols appear along the ground. The unconscious dragon rises into the air. Alie and Sheik's [Link's] heads rise as they watch the surprise. Its body flashes. Darkness shimmers along its body like never-dissipating black smoke. Its eyes open. They are red. The __**Cursed Sage Dragon **__growls extremely angrily. It creates large spheres of black energy from both claws, and from its mouth. Alie and Sheik [Link] run around to avoid it. Oni laughs maniacally. Before the dark magic is launched at them, a heavy artillery blast severely damages the dragon. From all directions, The Resistance shows._

Telma – You didn't think we'd let you have all the fun, did you?

Ashei – We fight together, yeah?

Auru – You won't be alone!

Shad – Stop talking, and fight!

Oni (voice) – These idiots again, huh? I shouldn't have let them live so long!

_The player is then given control._

Interlopers were summoned to the surface. With their dual katanas, all twenty of them ran to Sheik. Ashei and Rusl sprinted over, and assisted Sheik in deactivating as many of the demons as possible. Heads were removed from several bodies with the blades of her Shuriken. She tossed Smoke Bombs from both hands. Many stuttered in their march, and coughed greatly. Sheik swung her sword, and sliced multiple bodies in half. Ashei and Rusl continued to assist. The rest were frozen by Shad's magic, and then burned by the dragon's fiery breath. Everyone needed to get out of the way, due to the flames' almighty power. The dragon then breathed ice to them, to which Sheik and Shad retorted with Volcano Magic and a brew of his own fiery magic, respectively. In the midst of the chaos, the Cursed Sage Dragon had already finished breathing ice, and swung over to them with a tail attack. They back-flipped, and then got onto the dragon's back. Telma shot a few Arrows at its head. Sheik ran up to the dragon's head, while throwing her Chain Dart at its skull, which followed by a forward-flip over. She yanked the dragon down to ground level, turned around, and then stabbed it again in the head. She plucked both daggers out. Twili Interlopers were behind her, and about to attack. Rusl continued to assist with his sword and shield, and Ashei with her rapier. Two Smoke Bombs were thrown behind them. Sheik then tossed her Shuriken around with her right hand, and caught it with her left. She hoped she wouldn't cut off her warrior friends' necks. She immediately stabbed the dragon in its head, with one of the blades, before it would even stand back up. And when it had, it blasted wind from its mouth. The gust had been so strong that the warriors and the deactivated Interlopers were taken all the way back to one of the perimeter walls. The Cursed Sage Dragon walked toward them. It suddenly flashed like a technological failure, and four duplicates suddenly appeared. Another flash to shuffle them around. Alie and Telma, who had been hidden in the darkness, spewed acid and Arrows, respectively, at all five of them from behind. Sheik could see such an occurrence, due to the acid going through some of the hollow bodies. Sheik used her Chain Dart at the real one before it would turn around to attack.

_A cutscene ensues._

_She [He] hits the dragon in the head just as it is turning. She [He] yanks the dragon back [with one of his Clawshots]. The Twili Interlopers awake. With one hand, she continues to yank, while tossing a Smoke Bomb [Bomb] in either direction with the other. Half-paying attention, Sheik [Link] pulls the dagger [Clawshot] out. After gazing at the smoggy visibility to her [his] left, she [he] realizes the dragon had been let loose. It had disappeared into the darkness. Sheik [Link] is in the middle of an Interloper conflict, and lets Alie find the Cursed Sage Dragon. With the warriors and their respective weapons, they slice off as many torsos as possible within the vicinity. When there were few activated ones remaining, they run off, and let the demons group together. She [He] tosses her Shuriken Bomb [a Bomb Arrow], and watches as most explode. Two remain. She [He] walks up to them, and doubly stabs them in the neck with her daggers [and performs a Spin Attack]. When they turn back around, Alie had found the dragon. She brings it into the light. Its body is covered in sand. The Resistance and Sheik [Link] surround the half-conscious dragon. They watch as Sheik's [Link's] dragon pet turns it entirely to glass. Alie runs over to Sheik [Link], and lets the disguised princess [the Hero] climb on her back. Sheik [Link] tosses her Shuriken Bomb [shoots a Bomb Arrow], and watches as the dragon explodes to shards. The Sages appear in a circle, with Oni–a humanoid figure of black smoke–at the center._

_A cutscene ensues HERE if the player is undergoing OPTION A._

Oni – Do you Sages not see how easy it is to gain control? To have power? To be at the helm of _everything_? I have taken the blade of evil's bane, I have used the magic and wonders of the sacred triangles, and I have transformed your beloved realm of Hyrule into utter chaos. All by _my_ command.

Sage of Light – Yet, you do not possess the ancient magic you and your demons once used, when Hyrule was merely known as _"the surface"_.

Oni – _What?!_

Sage of Fire – The Fused Shadows.

Oni – I ordered my men to take possession of it from the Realm of Twilight. And you mean to tell me… we do not have it?

Sage of Spirit – From what we know, and what we are able to see, that magic is not in your hands.

Oni – Who has it?! Where is it now?!

All – You will never find it…

_They disappear._

Oni – Tell me _now!_ I command you! This is _my _land now! You will obey me! Tell me where it is!

_A faint Sage voice echoes, and fades away._

Sage of Forest – Don't be so desperate, Demon God. You can't have everything.

_Oni growls in anger and frustration, while the black smoke spirals up to the clouds. They dissipate, and the starry night sky is revealed. A __**Heart Container **__appears in Oni's place. The player is then given control. _

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_Upon walking away, the game teleports the player to the southern exit, near where Princess Zelda once lay hidden at the start of the adventure._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT XI - Rivals**

_**Acts VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by the Sages. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these six acts.**_

__There were objectives that Sheik had set out for herself, prior to entering the Faron province. She realized she could simply play the _Minuet of Forest_, and arrive at her destination in a very short amount of time, but she first wanted to stuff her wallet with Rupees and acquire as many materials as possible across the Lanayru portions of Hyrule Field, and then head back to the Gerudo Shop District to outright purchase items, upgrade them, and fill a third bottle with Blue Potion. Sheik called upon Alie, climbed on her back, and departed for the grand open world. Hyrule at night was a much different realm. The crickets chirped, the loons sung, and the stars shined bright. Out of all the nocturnal monsters that took their nightly strides, Stalchildren were among the most prevalent. Bones might suit Sheik well. Treasure chests glimmered and shimmered in the darkness. Some were hidden on land, others within bodies of water, and others hidden in caves. Most contained money, but the occasional one contained rare to somewhat rare materials. There had been a number of upgrades awaiting Sheik, and others awaiting Link. Sheik had a few in mind. After gazing through the bare trees, and the cliffs, and the river streams, and the caves and caverns, she played the _Requiem of Spirit_, and returned to the Mirror Chamber. From there, she made her way to the boss room of Arbiter's Grounds. Ravio's Item Shop was her first stop, where she outright purchased the Leaf Rod and the Clawshots – thus Leaf Magic and the Chain Strap. With such, she made her way to Gondo's Inventory and Repair Shop. There, she upgraded the items to the **Tornado Rod** (**Tornado Magic**)and **Claw Longshots **(**Chain Stretch**), respectively. With more yet to upgrade—this time solely for herself—Sheik wanted more out of her daggers, sword, and Shuriken. Gondo informed her that he did not upgrade weaponry. Zubora and Gabora performed such tasks. Fair enough. Sheik requested her Smoke Bomb pouch—thus re-stocking on Smoke Bombs—be upgraded, as well as her Shuriken Bomb pouch. Sheik had been running low on cash by that point, and was worried she wouldn't have enough for everything. Perhaps upgrading her Chain Strap was too soon? Nevertheless, she visited the blacksmiths, and stated her desire to upgrade the aforementioned weaponry. She had been told that she did not possess the funds to upgrade everything, and, as such, to seek out more Rupees. Sheik asked if she could have it all upgraded anyway, and return at a later time with more money. They agreed, and assured her that they would hold on to her unpaid weapons until such a time would occur. Under the possible circumstance that she would not find a plethora of cash, she decided against purchasing anything else, and left for Zora's River. She had more to swim and more to explore. The _Serenade of Water _was played outside shortly after.

When Alie and Sheik arrived in the throne room of Zora's Domain, they witnessed all the blood, from the murdered Zora, follow the stream of water. Those that rested closer to the surface even followed the river's path, and were taken to various different points in Hyrule. Under the circumstances in which Hyrule's population had not decreased so drastically, such an incident would be a frightening sight to behold. Nonetheless, Sheik disembarked from Alie's back, and dove into the body of water surrounding the throne room. Deeper and deeper she went. She eventually came across a boulder along the floor. She obliterated it with her Shuriken Bomb. A tunnel revealed itself, and Rupees scattered around the perimeter. Sheik collected all of them, and received an additional 38 to add to her wallet. She then swam deeper into the labyrinth of a cave. Various different aquatic enemies greeted her, but they were simple enough to kill. When every path had been secured, she plundered her treasures, and then returned up to the surface. Alie made her way down the waterfall, while Sheik made her way onto the cliffs. Whereby, she searched for more chests to open and acquire. She received more loot for her benefit. After checking every crack and crevice, she dove into the lower portion of Zora's Domain, and destroyed all three boulders along the floor. She collected more money. When there was nothing left to plunder in the area, she returned up, got back on Alie's back, and made way to the rapids, beyond Upper Zora's River. The deep abyss no longer existed. A large amount of water was everywhere, and all very deep. More caves and boulders and such awaited. However, there was the issue of the fast-travelling stream of water, which made it difficult to collect as much as possible within the area. Luckily, though, a trail of Rupees followed the curvy, tight direction of the rapids. A perfect score would net Sheik 350 Rupees total. All this filled her wallet up quite nicely. When she returned to land, she played the _Requiem of Spirit_ on her lyre, and returned to the Gerudo Shop District to acquire her **Dual Daggers Lv.2**, her **Sovereign Katana**, her **Chain Dart Lv.2**,and her **Shuriken Lv.2**. Nearly forgetting, she lastly upgraded her Magic Meter to **Lv.2 **at Gondo's.

Sheik decided to reach Faron Woods manually. With Alie, Sheik played the _**Nocturne of Shadow**_—surprisingly for the very first time in the adventure—as there had been no other reasonable nearby option to reach Hyrule Field. The song transported them to the **Bridge of Eldin**. A long journey awaited them, but they needed to travel it nonetheless. When they had finally reached the Faron Province at the heart of Hyrule Field, they had entered yet another snowy, wintery region. The trees were bare, the ground was blanketed in snow, the wind blew strong and cold, and the clouds infested the sky. Despite all these obstacles, Alie and Sheik eventually reached the woods. As they gazed around, Sheik noticed there had been two paths to take. One remained on the ground, where anybody could go through, while the other involved the bare trees. Since Sheik had been so nimble, and much stealthier than Link, she decided to dismount from Alie, and follow the path of trees. She climbed up the first tree to the branches. As she hopped from tree to tree, and entered the more labyrinth-like portion of the forest, she first gazed down at the situation below. Monsters were everywhere. Bokoblins; Moblins; Ice Keese; Octoroks – just about everything. Then, she gazed up. The sky, despite the clouds and the falling snow, was beginning to brighten. She assessed the situation, and made a brief layout of her assault to bypass through the guarded forest. She knew the Moblins were the biggest and most dangerous. She wanted to be rid of them first. Continuing to go from branch to branch, from tree to tree, she made her away above one of the Moblins' paths. She waited for the monster to return directly below her, whereby she used her upgraded Chain Dart—housing increased chain length and strength—to stab the Moblin in the neck, and then descend to the ground, while the Moblin hung off the branch from which she once stood. She climbed back up into the trees, and gazed around for more Moblin paths. One of which was fairly close-by. However, a pair of Bokoblins had their routes intersecting.

She patiently waited along a branch for the two Bokoblins to walk beneath her. She tossed a Smoke Bomb once the Moblin faced the other direction, and was a fair distance away to not hear anything. She jumped down, and dually stabbed them in the necks with her upgraded daggers. She climbed back up the tree, and waited for the Moblin to notice, and walk over. Once it had, she used her Chain Dart to hang the monster up in the tree. A colony of Keese noticed the smoke, and flew over. Sheik withdrew her Sovereign Katana, and killed them all. To which, some Octoroks rose up from the snow, and gazed around. Those that noticed Sheik, hurled snowballs from their mouths. Sheik killed all four with a single Shuriken swing. Bokoblins grew curious, and began running over. Sheik whistled for Alie to come out and attack the horde of monsters. When they were all dead, Sheik plundered the materials left behind, and then got on Alie's back. Strangely, as they left the area, the ground began to rattle. The smaller, more barren portion of the forest shook even more! And before they could even reach the aforementioned Forest Temple, a barrier prevented them from pressing forward! Suddenly, from beneath the earth, a **Dharkstare** appeared. The giant monster encased itself in ice, and then began hovering around the area. From its large eyeball—its main feature, aside from its luscious black hair—three beams of ice were shot at Alie and Sheik. The beams surrounded them in a triangular way. If they stayed in that spot for just a few seconds longer, the triangle would flash, and freeze them temporarily. Sheik blasted some of her Volcano Magic to melt the ice, which Alie followed with acid. A weakened Dharkstare, they charged over to the monster. Sheik slashed away at its eye with her katana. The creature eventually pushed them away. Before returning to its shield of ice, Alie swung around, and attacked the Dharkstare's eye with her tail, and then ran off to a better position. They waited for the icy triangle. However, after it had flashed and failed to freeze Alie and Sheik, the Dharkstare summoned a dozen Freezards to attack and freeze them instead. Sheik got off Alie's back, and let her attack the monsters with her claws and tail. Sheik focused on the Dharkstare with her Volcano Magic and katana. After she had slashed away at its vulnerable eye. The monster's black, luscious hair turned red. Ice formed itself around its body while it soared high into the air. The faint sunlight casted a shadow along the ground. Sheik returned to Alie, climbed back on, and waited for the Dharkstare to plunge down. When it would do so, they would charge forward, turn around, and blast more Volcano Magic. Together with Alie, Sheik destroyed the ice monster to smithereens.

With materials collected, and the barriers dispelled, they progressed to the snow-covered Forest Temple. In fact, as suggested by Gondo, the original three temples—Forest Temple, Goron Mines, and Lakebed Temple—all served as exceptional locales to plunder materials and Rupees. All the rooms inside were unlocked. They merely housed hordes of monsters and a boss. Three of Link's weapons required their respective boss materials. Since Sheik had been so kind and in the neighbourhood, she decided to go in, gather some loot, and fight the fearsome **Diababa**. Some Shuriken Bomb attacks, Chain Dart attacks, and Sovereign Katana slices later, the goods were hers to gift to Link. Following the trail of bare, snowy trees just outside of the temple, Sheik made her way to the Sacred Grove. Skull Kid was still kicking, and playing his trumpet. She searched around for him; following the increasing volume and sound of brass. When she drew near, the Skull Kid summoned his Puppets. They danced around Sheik, and attacked her as best they could. Sheik destroyed them all with a Spin Attack. Then, she climbed up to the Skull Kid, and performed a surprise attack. He disappeared, and played his trumpet elsewhere. This continued on and on until Sheik had won five rounds of hide and seek. Much to the kid's amusement, of course. He was happy to have had the opportunity to play a game with someone again. He enjoyed divulging in such games. Sheik was glad to amuse him for however brief it was. Afterward, though, that smile faded. As she walked around in search of the exit, she was met with a surprise.

_A cutscene ensues._

_OPTION A – If the player is playing as Link._

Oni (voice) – Wait.

_Link stops walking._

Oni (voice) – I realize how exhausting all this running around can be.

_Link turns around, but nobody is there._

Oni (voice) – Look at what you've made me, Link. I lack the body I once lived in so many centuries ago! And I had one in you – until my old body will be found. And under the circumstances all this dawdling has put me through, _still_ I do not possess it. I hope I receive it soon. Do you know how agonizing it is to not be able to live in your own body? It's unfathomable!

_Link withdraws his Master Sword, under the impression Oni would show up somehow._

Oni – But you're just a loser. You're nobody. You have nothing left, kid. Everything's gone! With your body, and my demons, I've turned your elegant home into a world of chaos. And when my time here is done, and by some stroke of luck, you manage to survive? Enjoy your prosperity, boy. Hyrule's gonna be real quiet when us gods are dead. Oh, I'm ready for death. I just need my armour first – so I can get that goddamn Majora dead, too.

_Link looks around into the sky._

Oni (voice) – I look forward to the day you and I truly meet face to face, and the day one of us gods rids Hyrule of the Hero.

_Red symbols appear along the ground. Forty Twili Interlopers rise, with the usual trio in front._

Twili Interloper 1 – Guess we get to have some fun today, guys!

Twili Interloper 2 – Human flesh for breakfast? Quite satisfying.

Twili Interloper 3 – Don't forget that delicious blood as well.

_All three lick their lips in unison. Every Twili Interloper then withdraw their dual katanas, and float up into the air. They merge into an __**Interloper Dragon**__. The player is then given control._

_OPTION B – If the player is playing as Sheik._

_Oni is laying on the ground. His hands are behind his head, and he is napping. Sheik walks up to him, and kicks him in the thigh. She continues a few more times until he awakes. She goes on one knee, and points the tip of one of her daggers at his neck._

Oni – Not quite the marriage proposal I was expecting, Zelda! But I suppose you'd be in need of a new heir to the throne after your dead. I'm honoured.

_Sheik spits in his face._

Sheik – You're pathetic.

_He laughs._

Sheik – I still have a few questions for you.

Oni – Oh, yeah? Like what?

Sheik – Well, for one, what are you doing here on the ground?

Oni – Letting you mosey around.

Sheik – What?

Oni – I've the time! I've already conquered this land, and made it mine.

Sheik – The amount of your Hyrule left is weakening, Demon God.

Oni – Nah, I can make it all mine again with the snap of a finger! This is only the first round, princess! Plenty more me to go around!

_Sheik goes to jab him in the neck. He disappears, and re-appears behind her. He turns her around, and caresses her hips. He slides his right hand up to her cheek. He speaks softly._

Oni – Now tell me, dear Zelda: what were your other questions?

_She pushes him away._

Sheik – I don't understand why you treat me like this? One moment, we're fighting to the death. Another, you're touching me up like I desperately need affection. Why? Why would my enemy—?

Oni – You're _"enemy"_? We're not enemies, Zelda!

_He takes her hand, and kisses it._

Oni – We're rivals!

_Pause._

Oni – I like you! I see potential in you!

_Sheik pulls her hand back._

Sheik – Well, isn't that obvious?

_Oni chuckles, and then disappears. Red symbols appear along the ground. Forty Twili Interlopers rise, with the usual trio in front._

Twili Interloper 1 – Guess we get to have some fun today, guys!

Twili Interloper 2 – Human flesh for breakfast? Quite satisfying.

Twili Interloper 3 – Don't forget that delicious blood as well.

_All three lick their lips in unison. Every Twili Interloper then withdraws their dual katanas, and float up into the air. They merge into an __**Interloper Dragon**__. The player is then given control._

The Realm Destroyer flew further up in the air. It swooped down, while simultaneously creating spheres of dark magic in its claws. Both were launched at the same time, right before spinning around, and attacking Sheik with its tail. The dark magic reached her, but she managed to avoid the tail. She climbed up, and onto the dragon's back. With her Sovereign Katana, she gave a very large cut to the back of the dragon's head. She got on her knees, switched to her daggers, and severely stabbed the Interloper Dragon with the blades' improved sharpness. Sheik performed a front-flip immediately after. She was about to get bitten, when she tossed a pair Smoke Bombs down its throat. As it coughed, Sheik used Volcano Magic to weaken the dragon further. The flames and smoke infested the air. Another dragon spotted the peculiar action in the Sacred Grove, and made its way to the battle. The Interloper Dragon stood up, and charged for Sheik. It grabbed her in its claws, and ran straight for the wall further behind her. Right before hitting the wall, a sudden giant gust of wind caused the Realm Destroyer to turn, and hit the side of its body on the wall, instead. The impact let her loose. She ran to a better position, and turned around. The Interloper Dragon was already creating dark magic in its mouth. Contemplating what to do next, she noticed another creature in the sky, which was heading straight for her. As the dark energy sphere was released from the Interloper Dragon's mouth, Sheik was picked up, and thrown onto the back of the Leaf Dragon. Sheik used her Tornado Magic on the Realm Destroyer, which the Leaf Dragon intensified and strengthened with its own power. The Interloper Dragon had become trapped inside the tornado. The Leaf Dragon went a little lower, and then used its mighty wind to bring the demonic creature to their altitude. Sheik's new assistant twirled around, and attacked the Interloper Dragon with its tail, to which it hit the wall, and dropped to the ground. Sheik got off the Leaf Dragon, and jumped onto the head of the Realm Destroyer with her daggers held downward. The dragon's head was severely damaged and cut. Sheik reached a safer distance, and used her Shuriken Bomb to weaken the monster further. The Interloper Dragon blasted more dark magic at Sheik. She avoided most, as best she could. With Tornado Magic, Sheik trapped the dragon again. She then used her magic to own benefit, and gave herself a boost to enter the tornado atop the Realm Destroyer, and perform an intense amount of damage to its head with her Sovereign Katana. The Leaf Dragon brought them further up. Sheik jumped onto the dragon's back, and then used fire to do even more damage. The Interloper Dragon was nearly done for. It was very weak.

_An interactive cutscene ensues._

_The Leaf Dragon drops Sheik [Link] off at ground level, a fair distance away from the Interloper Dragon. Sheik [Link] holds the Realm Destroyer in place with Volcano Magic [his Volcano Rod]. The Leaf Dragon charges straight for the Interloper Dragon, which is creating spheres of dark magic despite the flames. They are launched at the Leaf Dragon. It returns the spheres of wind. The Realm Destroyer is temporarily paralyzed. The Leaf Dragon spins around, and brings about a very strong tail attack. However, upon impact, they both disappear, with only square, black particles remaining. Sheik [Link], curious, goes to the Temple of Time, and heads inside. She [He] walks down the staircase, and finds the temple peaceful. However, the purple portal remains. She [He] walks to it, and gazes at the images shown per each teleportation destination. _

_The Twilight Realm  
Snowpeak  
Cancel_

_She [He] sees an image of dark magic being performed on the Leaf Dragon. _

_The Twilight Realm  
Snowpeak  
Cancel_

_She [He] sees an image of dark magic being performed on the Wolfos Dragon. _

_The Twilight Realm  
Snowpeak  
Cancel_

_Sheik [Link] takes a few steps back, when she [he] notices the ground shaking, the portal flashing, and light emerging and forming from beyond. She [He] walks further back and further back. Oni speaks to her [him]._

Oni (voice) – That Interloper Dragon seemed too easy for you! So, I made something better!

_The light fades away. The dragon walks toward Sheik [Link]. It growls in anger. Its fangs poke out of its mouth like a wolf. Sheik [Link] withdraws her [his] blade. _

"_FARON DESTROYER: __**CURSED LEAFOS DRAGON**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

The dragon began the battle with a chilly breath of ice. Sheik countered it with Volcano Magic, but the flames were endured. The Cursed Leafos Dragon ran through the frost and fire, and rammed Sheik, almost to the wall behind her, with its large head. The dragon clawed at Sheik. She jumped back, and gently hit the wall near the end of her jump. The Faron Destroyer immediately breathed more ice at her. She was temporarily frozen. The dragon grabbed Sheik with its mouth, and tossed her up. The ice shattered when she hit the ceiling. Sheik landed on the dragon's back. She cut the Faron Destroyer's big head a few times, and then dually stabbed the beast in its neck with her daggers. The Cursed Leafos Dragon threw her off its back with its tail. It then blasted a huge gust of wind at her, which caused Sheik to glide backward quite a bit. The dragon spun around, and attacked Sheik with its tail. She hit the wall a lot harder that time. For a moment, she sat against the wall. The Cursed Leafos Dragon breathed ice at the weakened Sheik, who still managed to retort with fire. The dragon jumped back. Sheik got back up, and charged straight for it. However, as she ran, the monster created a large amount of dark magic in its mouth, which ended up severely harming Sheik when she was hit. She was pushed backward to the ground, and lost all of her life and energy. Her vision began to fade. Her hearing started to wane. The last thing she heard was the sound of the dragon drawing closer. But not too long after she had died, one of her stored fairies came to the rescue, and revived her. The Cursed Leafos Dragon grabbed her with its mouth, and tossed her to the ceiling again. The monster made sure to get out of the way that time, once she would fall. Still, though, Sheik managed to succeed, and sliced off half its tail. The dragon growled in pain and anger. Sheik used her Chain Stretch to get onto the back of the beast, briefly bounced off of it, and then jumped down to stab the dragon in its neck again. Sheik unwisely decided to perform a forward-flip. With its wings, the Cursed Leafos Dragon entrapped her in a tornado. Despite its mind having been altered, a portion of it recalled Sheik's Tornado Magic. As such, the dragon made Sheik's predicament much worse with dark magic. When she had emerged from the tornado, she had been made weak once again. Barely any health or energy. The dragon went to frost her again. Sheik used as much Volcano Magic as she could muster, and hoped the darkness would be revoked.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Sheik [Link] experiences the same feeling as before, when she [he] was approaching death. At the same time, the Cursed Leafos Dragon loses consciousness from the extreme amounts of fire, and from all of the burns all over its body. Sheik [Link], on her [his] last breath, is curious as to whether she [he] had won the battle. She [He] vaguely sees the darkness escaping from the beast. She [He] then searches for a bottle in her [his] inventory. She [He] is brought back to life, a few moments later. She [He] stands up, and decides to pay Oni a visit. But first, she [he] collects her [his] newest __**Heart Container**__. His insolence infuriates her [him]. She [He] walks to the portal, and goes to the Twilight Realm of her [Sheik's] time. The player is given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_A cutscene ensues._

_OPTION A – If the player is playing as Link._

_Link arrives in Minadu's bedroom. He makes his way out of this section of the palace, and onto the rooftops. He looks all over for Oni, but finds him nowhere. Instead, he simply speaks to Link in his head._

Oni (voice) – You lookin' for something?

_Link stops walking._

Oni (voice) – Someone?

_Pause._

Oni (voice) – Like, me, perhaps?

_Link looks all over. Oni teleports behind Link with a temporary vessel._

Oni – I'm right here.

_Link turns around, and sees Oni dressed up as dead Minadu. Oni laughs._

Oni – Surprised?

_Link defends himself with his Master Sword._

Oni – Well, what do you want?

_Link charges toward Oni, and goes to slice him in half, but Oni knocks him down with dark magic._

Oni – Idiot.

_He spits on Link._

Oni – You think me so frail and weak that I don't anticipate every move you make? I know what you're going to do next before you even think to do it! You're simple-minded! You don't do the unexpected—

_He gets stabbed through the torso. He falls on his knees, and turns to an embodiment of black smoke._

Sheik – Well, you didn't see that one coming, now did you?

_She removes her blade from his torso. She holds out her hand, and helps Link up._

Sheik – C'mon. We're not finished yet.

_Sheik surprises Link with a sudden big hug. Link, after a brief amount of shock, hugs her back. She giggles._

Sheik – Sorry. I just… I can't lose you too.

_Link smiles and nods._

Sheik – Okay, let's go back to the Temple.

_Along with a trail of black smoke, they return to the portal, and get teleported back. _

_Fade to black._

_OPTION B – If the player is playing as Sheik._

_Sheik arrives in Minadu's bedroom. She makes her way out of this section of the palace, and onto the rooftops. Oni, still embodied as Link, is standing there. He smiles at Sheik. She walks very fast toward him. She is infuriated and frustrated. She speaks to him while she walks._

Sheik – How dare you take an innocent creature, and turn it into your own weapon?!

_She reaches Oni, while still ranting._

Sheik – It's sick! It's wrong! And you shouldn't be—

_Oni grabs her head, and passionately kisses her._

Oni – Oh, shut up for once.

_They continue kissing._

Sheik – I can't do this! I don't like you!

Oni – Then, we'll have to remedy that, because _I_ do!

_He uses his dark magic to force Sheik to accept his twisted desires._

Oni – Come with me.

_He takes her hand. They run along the rooftops._

Sheik – Where are we going?

Oni – To the palace.

_He picks her up when they enter. He teleports them to the throne room. When they arrive, Oni pushes Sheik against the wall, and passionately kisses her again. _

Oni – I'm so lucky to have met you!

Sheik – And I'm so lucky to have been given such weak magic!

_She secretly takes out her blade, and stabs him through the neck. He turns to black smoke. Sheik laughs as she leaves the palace._

Oni – You think this is funny?!

Sheik – Yeah! Yeah, it kind of is! I'm not falling for your trickery! I'm not falling for you in general!

_Oni looks at her. He's at the top floor of the palace, while she's on ground level. He shouts angrily._

Oni – I thought I might find a moment of happiness with you! We could have spent the rest of the day together!

_Sheik continues walking and ignoring him._

Oni – I was going to make love to you!

_She exits the palace. Oni falls on his knees, and whispers to himself._

Oni (whispering) – I haven't fucked anyone in over a thousand years…

_His body of black smoke transforms into a trail, which follows Sheik back to Faron._

_Fade to black._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT XII - Home**

_**Acts VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII can be played, within the game, in any order the player desires – as stated by the Sages. However, for the sake of simplicity within this story, an order is provided – as indicated by the titles of these six acts.**_

Sheik walked along the grass and brown leaves, just to the side of the Forest Temple. She took a moment to look at the sky, and enjoy the lack of wintry clouds. She marched on. All of Faron Woods had been freed of darkness. It was a sight that made her proud. She was extremely happy to have accomplished so much. All of Hyrule was rid of the winter curse, except for Eldin and Ordona – the latter province being which Link called home. And home was a great place to conclude the main portion of her journey. She needed the Hero to join her in ending the darkness forever. Being ready to rid Oni of his vessel for good, she climbed up into a tree, and started hopping from branch to branch, and tree to tree. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of wonder and joy. She was excited to take on Oni, and shatter his dreams – together with Link. Enemies, she passed by. Those that were a nuisance to her tree running, she jumped down, and killed them easily. When she reached the bridge, connecting Faron and Ordon, she entered an entirely different realm of darkness. The usual expectancies of snow, wind, clouds, and frigid temperatures were all there. But it was – different. It felt different. A part of her excitement remained, but another part filled in. And it didn't feel right. A sense of discomfort, perhaps? After she had crossed the bridge, she felt an unwelcome presence.

_A brief cutscene ensues when Sheik walks beyond the bridge to Ordon._

_The __**Ordon Spirit Shrine**__ is blocked off. But of what she can see, the area has transformed into an arena of ice. This does not please her. She continues walking, and notices what had happened to Link's home. Absolutely obliterated and crumbled to bits and pieces. Red symbols appear along the snowy ground. The usual trio of Twili Interlopers rise from below._

Twili Interloper 1 – Well, look who we got here!

Twili Interloper 2 – The Demon God ain't gonna be so happy if we keep the princess alive.

Twili Interloper 3 – At the very least, if she wins this fight, we weakened her.

All – Let's make this bloody!

_They all withdraw their dual katanas and charge straight for her. The player is then given control._

A Smoke Bomb was released at them. Sheik then took out her Sovereign Katana. With it, she severed all of their legs. The demons released spheres of dark energy at her. Sheik managed to dodge most. She then burned them. After the red symbols appeared, the Interlopers teleported behind Sheik. She realized this at the last minute. She turned around, and got stabbed in the chest. She grabbed the blade, and threw the Interloper behind her. She caused a tornado to surround the other two. The third received fire. She turned around, and lunged downward with her two Dual Daggers. She stabbed the demon in the neck. After the tornado had dissipated, the two Twili Interlopers attacked with dark magic. She was hit. The Interlopers prepared another set, but Sheik fired her Shuriken at them, and sliced off their heads. Red symbols appeared on the ground. Sheik got to a better position. She leaned against a large rock. One demon appeared to her left, one to her right, and one in front of her. They got closer to attack. A poor choice. Sheik simultaneously stabbed the Interlopers on either side of her, and then knocked the third to the ground with their bodies. Sheik used her Chain Dart to stand the third demon back up, by piercing its neck, and then stabbed it again in the neck. She leaned back against the wall again, and awaited the Interlopers to reactivate. They stood up exactly where they had been laying. Sheik tossed a Smoke Bomb, but the demons managed to endure. They assaulted Sheik with dark magic, and then provided cuts to various points on her body. She froze them, and then shattered their bodies in a single swing. Despite having been in the form of particles, red symbols _still_ appeared on the ground. Sheik engulfed her entire line of sight in flames. She watched as the demons burned to char. But before anything else could happen, they all suddenly fell to the ground simultaneously. Oni was just finishing his hand motion to turn them off. He snapped his fingers, and disappeared – leaving only a trail of floating square, black particles behind. They faded away shortly after. Sheik went on her knees, and groaned in pain. The Interlopers were successful in a way. They weakened her. Cuts and bruises were all over. She was bleeding from a multitude of places. And in addition, there had been a terrifying issue getting worse. Each time she fought a demon—any monster created by dark magic—the day of death grew nearer. Light blue Twili symbols would briefly show after an encounter. And more appeared every time. It began on her cheek, but with each demon battle – it spread. She feared what she would become in the end. The possibility of transforming into one of _them_ was frightening. She did not want to be a demon. She was a princess behind her cloak. She would soon receive a third layer. It scared her. After letting quite a bit of blood escape her body, and paint the snow red, she got up, and tried to walk. But she couldn't walk very well. Yet she endured. She tried her absolute hardest to reach the village.

Every house—every structure—had been destroyed. But Ordon Village was not all made barren, with only snow to differentiate the old village from the new. The entire area had been frozen, and transformed with ice. But a palace for any mythical beast that would live in such a blustery, cold, wintry environment. For a home of ice, the village actually looked – beautiful. And for the moment that Sheik gazed at the transformation, the sense of pain and death faded away. But when her senses returned to her, the feeling worsened. She made herself comfortable on the ice, and let the snow fall on her face. Strangely, the more she gazed at the sky, the more she felt she was hallucinating. Something seemed to be flying above. Distracted, she failed to hear the footsteps approaching. And when she finally did, she moved her head up to see. It was Oni. He held out his hand. He helped her up. But when they stood so close, he stabbed her in the neck. Her eyes widened. Oni threw her back down onto the ice, turned around, and disappeared. That was the last thing she saw before she died. Her last fairy resurrected her. When she felt somewhat better, and her vision returned to normal, the Ice Dragon from above awaited Sheik to get up. She did. The dragon licked Sheik's wounds, but she was not in the mood, and pushed the beast away. The dragon wanted to help. It spread its wings, and waited for Sheik to get on. They flew to the Mirror Chamber in the desert. When she arrived, she was in the same predicament as she had been the other time. She was alive, but she did not feel it. The pain was still there; the cuts were still there; the feeling of death was still there. But alas, a potion would not fix the latter. Not for her, at least. She felt the urge to demand an update on her prophecy of approaching death, but since she had already completed the Tower of Trials, the Sages were gone – forever. As such, she went to the Gerudo Shop District, and stocked up on potions. She paid for four, so that she could drink the fourth from the pitcher. Syrup was on her guard that day. After truly feeling alive, and having had her three bottles refilled, she left Arbiter's Grounds, and returned to the… Ice Dragon? Sheik realized she wasn't hallucinating. Everything she saw and experienced as she lay on the ice and arrived in the desert, it was all real. It wasn't in her head. Nevertheless, they flew back to Ordon Village.

When they arrived, the ground of ice had become a giant purple portal. Sheik and the Ice Dragon landed. Sheik dismounted from her new friend's back. But unexpectedly, the ice, beneath the portal, shattered completely. The portal disappeared. The dragon flew up in surprise, but Sheik fell through. Oni had not covered the regular ground with ice, but rather replaced it. With her body facing upward, Sheik continued to fall. A sudden force kept her deep beneath. She watched for the Ice Dragon, but it did not appear. Many of the village's trees had trunks going as deep below as she was. The usual water creatures swam about. All of the palatial features, however, remained above the surface. Nothing looked all too pretty below. It grew darker and darker. But as she continued to descend, she eventually came into contact with some sort of structure. A flat surface on the top, with a demonic portal painting it purple. Interacting with it gave access to another location to teleport to – Kakariko Village. She went there, and ended up on the roof of Renado's frozen house. As she looked around, all of the village was frozen – just like in Ordon. Whimsical patterns of ice froze all of the buildings, and gave a unique new motif to the area – just like in Ordon, except Ordon lacked its buildings. Sheik heard a sound in the distance. She looked around. The Ice Dragon soared down from behind. It landed on the icy ground, and looked up at Sheik. She jumped down, and pet the dragon, much to its liking. The beast sniffed around. It could smell something. The dragon walked around the shaman's house, and to the frozen Graveyard. Sheik followed. When they arrived, and noticed more of the icy motif, Oni was facing away from them at the end of the tomb rows. He turned around, and looked at them. Sheik was still very disgusted in how he embodied the Hero she cared so deeply about. She walked over to them, and he spoke.

_A cutscene ensues._

Oni – Tell me, Zelda: why do you keep fighting? What keeps you motivated that you never just – give up?

Sheik – You know the answer to that already. I told you: it's personal—

Oni – It's selfish.

_He turns around._

Oni – Your Link is dead!

Sheik – He's not dead! He's a—

Oni – Stalfos! I know! But he's gone! And what makes you think that your Stalfos boyfriend is going to come back?

_Pause._

Sheik – I just… miss him. And I see him in the Link you embody. The world needs someone like him, and I don't want you taking him away.

Oni – I don't plan on taking him away, Zelda. You know this vessel is only temporary.

_He snaps his fingers, and leaves behind square, black particles. The player is then given control._

Sheik turned around, and returned to Kakariko Village. But right before she exited the Graveyard, she realized her newest dragon friend was gone. She grew a grin of disappointment, for she knew Oni had parted with it. When she walked past Renado's house, she took a look at the frozen, but beautiful, village. Her Ice Dragon was flying above, but it did not look the same. The dragon flew toward Sheik from behind, but not in a friendly manner. She could sense dark magic at work. The more they stared into each other's eyes, the more Sheik thought about Alie, and how she might've changed by magic. Distracted by thought, the dragon clawed at Sheik's face, and then flew to its master at the upmost point of Kakariko Village. The dragon then turned back around. What began was a brawl against the **Cursed Ice Dragon – Stage 1**. As the beast swooped down, a trail of icy, mountainous formations were left behind from under its wings. Their height depended on the altitude at which the dragon was travelling. Sheik used her Volcano Magic to melt the ice surrounding the dragon's body. It temporarily thawed. As a new layer of ice froze back on, the dragon clawed away. Sheik back-flipped a few times. The Cursed Ice Dragon swung around, and attacked Sheik with its tail. She fell to the ground, and then blasted fire at it. With her Dual Daggers, she stabbed the beast in its thawed tail. However, this allowed for it to freeze the daggers _and _Sheik as part of its new structure. The dragon dragged Sheik into the air, and then tossed her onto one of the frozen roofs. Once she had landed, the beast trapped her within a large formation of ice. She tried her best to get out with fire, but to no avail. The dragon performed a somersault attack to break the ice, and then blasted dark magic. Sheik was severely weakened. With the energy she had left, she thawed the dragon temporarily, and used her Chain Dart to hook on. As she anticipated, the dagger and front part of the chain had frozen on. She used this technique to reach the higher section of the village, which wasn't too far from her. The chain was yanking the beast closer. It blasted dark magic at Sheik. She failed to dodge the attack. The dragon flew toward her, and somersaulted. Sheik side-jumped out of the way. The dragon crashed into the wall of ice behind her.

Volcano Magic was used on the beast. The ice melted briefly. During that brief moment, Sheik forward-flipped onto the dragon's neck, and stabbed the beast with her daggers. Her hands, her feet, and her daggers froze, along with the rest of the dragon's body. She used fire in her hands to get her hands and daggers out, and then thawed the monster again. Another dual stab and another freeze, though it was stronger that time. The Cursed Ice Dragon soared up into the sky, and performed yet another somersault attack. When Sheik hit the ground, a giant mountainous formation of ice surrounded her. The dragon, however, flew off and disappeared suddenly. Volcano Magic did little, and affected her, since she had been in such a close proximity. She continued trying and trying until she was made weak, by the touch of ice, and was rid of magic. She drank a Blue Potion, and hoped for the best. Sounds around her appeared muffled. However, based on the tones, she could hear Oni chatting with his Interloper trio. As time went on, the sounds grew louder and louder. Eventually, she heard a tapping on the ice. Curious, she blasted fire at that location. The ice started to crack. The tapping moved elsewhere. She followed it, and never gave up, until she finally got out. She deactivated the first Twili Interloper she saw. Up the frozen hill, another one saw her. The demon ran over. Sheik used her Chain Dart to reel the Interloper in, and then stabbed its neck with her other dagger. She got the third's attention with her Chain Stretch. She also noticed that Oni had been watching her closely. The third teleported inside the formation of ice – where Sheik had been imprisoned. She used Blizzard Magic to freeze the demon inside. After all three had been deactivated, she took one last look at the roof up above. Oni chuckled. Red symbols appeared along the ground, where the Interlopers rested. They awoke and attacked. Sheik tossed a Smoke Bomb at the ground. She withdrew her Sovereign Katana, and performed a Spin Attack. Their torsos had sliced in half, and they deactivated again. Sheik made her way up the hill. The Twili Interlopers teleported in a single line, in front of her as a barrier to the house. Another Smoke Bomb was tossed. She stabbed the first two in the neck with her Dual Daggers, and then ignored the third to avoid reactivation. She opened the door, and inside the house. Money and materials awaited her. The third Interloper had finished living through the smoke, and entered the house as well. Sheik climbed the ladder, and exited through the door. The demon followed. She used her ability of running up the side of the house to reach Oni on the roof. He used his powers to deactivate all three for a while.

_A cutscene ensues._

Oni – You know what bothers me? Why waste all this time to get an artifact that does the same as a sword?

Sheik – What do you mean?

Oni – What's the difference between possessing the Eye of Truth, and deactivating my Interlopers with a blade?

Sheik – They won't wake up. Deactivation and death are two different things. Look at you, Oni.

_Pause._

Sheik – You still aren't dead!

_He chuckles, and then disappears with a snap. A trail of square, black particles is left behind. The camera pans over to a view of frozen Death Mountain, and then diagonally downward to the start of the trail in Kakariko Village. Sheik is already standing there. The player is then given control._

Death Mountain Trail simultaneously acted as Goron Village. All of the Goron houses were built along either sides of the trail up to the volcano and hot springs. Gor Coron lived at the last house of the long, winding road. Assuming he was still alive after all this terror. A roar echoed along the trail as Sheik began her hike. The roar of the dragon that transformed the villages to intriguing, beautiful, yet terrifying, formations of ice – all under the commands of the Demon God. Created as almost a luge path, the trail was slippery, yet Sheik managed to endure it. She listened for the roars, which increased in volume as she continued marching on. However, it didn't take long for the **Cursed Ice Dragon – Stage 2** to come sliding down for an assault. Sheik blasted fire at the approaching dragon. It dodged, and jumped over her. Sheik turned around, and tried again. Rather than the entire body be thawed, what mattered was the location, and Sheik temporarily thawed the tail. She used her Chain Dart to bring the beast into a closer range. But if failed. She ended being dragged along the icy trail, and occasionally having to run up the ledges that appeared. They eventually came across an arching bridge. The dragon tossed Sheik up there. She hit the ice, and then fell down to the ground. Her Chain Dart landed next to her. The dragon flew away. Sheik got up, and looked around, but the monster was nowhere in sight. She called upon Alie in hopes that she might be able to help. Alie arrived momentarily, and Sheik got on her back. They continued along Death Mountain Trail. A roar was heard, and the Cursed Ice Dragon returned at a quick velocity. Alie breathed acid at the beast's head. The ice began to crack. Sheik waited for the dragon to closer, and shattered the ice off with her Sovereign Katana. She ducked to avoid the swooping, clawing monster. Alie and Sheik quickly slid along the ice to turn around. The dragon flew back to them. Having been vulnerable on its head, Sheik used her Chain Stretch to get onto its head and avoid being frozen. She dually jabbed the beast in the neck.

The dragon descended, and Alie sprayed more acid on its body. The Cursed Ice Dragon purposefully hurt its back on some ice. Sheik slipped down to a lower part of the dragon's body. The dragon froze her firm grip, and took her somewhere else. Alie chased after. Sheik had absolutely no way to get free. The dragon's freezing ability was stronger. She tried thawing the ice with fire, but the dragon froze itself _and_ her even quicker than before. They went higher and higher, and travelled to the frozen volcano. The beast performed a somersault attack to make Sheik severely hurt itself on the caldera of Death Mountain. The ice began to crack. The dragon was unaware of it. Sheik thought she might lure it into the volcano, and used her magic to shatter the ice. They both fell through, and travelled a dark descent. Sheik stayed close to the beast. She used Volcano Magic to thaw a part of its body, and immediately stabbed it with her katana. The blade was frozen on, as she had desired, and held on for dear life. As they continued descending, the dragon attempted to harm Sheik with spheres of dark energy from its claws and mouth, and gruelling blasts of chilly wind from its wings. Sheik used her nimbleness as best she could. She hung beneath her katana; she climbed atop, and balanced herself; she used one hand to hold on with, and one to blast magic. Any means necessary to survive the descent. And eventually, they reached Queen Vipevol's home. The Gaboon viper was being assaulted, too. Under the wishes of Oni, the Cursed Ice Dragon tried its best to bring the colossal snake onto his side, and do absolute harm to Sheik, but the snake would try her best not to obey. Queen Vipevol desired to rid Eldin of the monstrous beast creating an absolute mockery of the Eldiners and their home. She wrapped the dragon in its slithery snake manner, and brought it down to the giant pool of lava below. A weakened Sheik took the moment to pause, watch, and heal up. The colossal monsters _still_ continued to fight. They were equal in power, and one did not simply give up to the other's superiority. Yet, Sheik wanted to help. She carefully watched as Queen Vipevol disembodied the dragon's icy shell, and made a plunge with her daggers held downward. She successfully bathed the beast in lava, and knocked it unconscious.

_A brief cutscene occurs._

_Sheik is teleported to Gor Coron's house. A purple portal stands at the center of the room. Oni, facing away from her, is in the middle. He speaks to her._

Oni – A warning for you, Princess Zelda: I do not fear you. I do not whimper when I see you succeed against the ones I create.

_He turns around._

Oni – But bring Majora, Goddess of the Shadows, and I will show you kindness no longer. My sentiments will wither.

Sheik – Just like you've done to all of Hyrule?

Oni – My ways do not align with hers, but we do share commonalities.

_Pause._

Oni – You will meet her eventually. And you will see what I mean.

_He uses the portal to leave. The player is then given control._

Awaiting her inside Gor Coron's home, at the top of the village, were a few treasure chests. Most contained money, but one contained **Master Ore**. She held onto it for Link. Before using the portal, she took one more look outside, and gazed at the frozen volcanic region. She looked down at the hot springs from the balcony, and around the vicinity. She had a hunch that the Gorons would not possess the resilience to survive Oni's power, and her hunch was right. All of them were giant frozen rocks. _All_ of Hyrule had fallen to ruin, and this did not please her in the slightest. After sighing in frustration, she returned inside and used the portal to return to Ordon Village. The ice water no longer held a downward force. The ice water was free. She swam all the way up to the surface, and climbed up from the ledge of the giant circular hole, which looked like a pond from the outside, but was a lake in reality. She followed the circumference over to Ordon Ranch – the last place yet to visit in Link's homeland. However, when she reached the top of the hill, and entered the ranch, the place did not look very well. The building, where goats and horses lived, had been burned down. The animals had all been slaughtered to death. This all looked so frightening to Sheik. She had never seen something so monstrous in her life. How could someone do something like that? It was absolutely uncalled for! No place in Ordon looked like home. Ordon looked like a nightmare. Sheik was so infuriated at Oni for what he and his Twili Interlopers had done. She had never seen something so revolting in her life! She had the intense desire to take her blade, and slice his disgusting head with it. He deserved punishment for his cruel tactics and desires. Sheik returned to Ordon Village, and jumped into the water. She swam the diameter to the other side, and left. She called for Alie, who came running from the distance. She climbed on her back, and reached Ordon Spirit Shrine, which rested beyond Link's former house. The two strong barriers of ice and dark magic were dispelled when they stood in front of the spring's blockade. Alie destroyed the blockade with her tail. They entered the ice arena together.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Descending from the snowing sky above, an unconscious Ice Dragon and Queen Vipevol come into [Alie and] Sheik's peripheral vision. They hover in mid-air. At ground level—standing at the center of the ice—is Oni. He sheds his Link vessel, which turns him to his humanoid black smoke form, and rises up in mid-air. He hovers in-between of the two beasts. With a strong power of dark magic—in both his hands, on the ground beneath, and all around them as a barrier—the three merge together and awaken to fight the ninja-princess [and her baby Acid Dragon]._

"_VILLAGE DESTROYER: __**CHIMERA**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

The monstrous beast created a large amount of lava in its mouth. With its claws, ice was blasted at the lava, and transformed it into a boulder of frozen molten rock. Alie and Sheik quickly got out of the way, and let the hunk of rock hit the wall behind them. The Chimera swooped down and breathed fire. Beneath it, mountainous formations of ice were created. Before hitting the wall, too, the dragon curved up high, and trapped the heroines in a barrier of ice. Alie sprayed acid, and then shattered the ice with her tail. The vile creature came crashing down with swords of ice held downward, and created lava orally, which gradually froze. Alie cracked the frozen molten rock with acid, and then shattered it the moment that the ice swords were jabbed into the ground. With a weakened head, Sheik used her Chain Stretch to get on. She dually stabbed the Chimera in the neck with her daggers. The beast raised its large head, and roared in pain. Red symbols appeared on the frozen ground. Eight Twili Interlopers rose. The Chimera let go of its daggers, and flew up. Sheik held onto her daggers to avoid falling, but she ended up freezing most of her body as part of its recovery mode. Its head was the only part that remained thawed, thanks to Alie's acid. The Interlopers formed a circle. The Chimera soared down and somersaulted. Sheik was let go, and slammed onto the ice. The beast's wings were flapped. Giant gusts of chilly wind was created, alongside large formations of ice to trap Sheik within. Alie sprayed acid at the snake tail. While the Chimera was distracted and surprised, Sheik used her Chain Dart, since there had been a thin opening above for the dagger to fit through, and stabbed it in its neck again. She yanked the chain to reel in the monster. Fire was breathed, just as she had wanted, and the ice formations melted. Alie took care of the demons by sliding around and spraying acid. Sheik retrieved her Chain Dart, and switched to her Chain Stretch to get back on the beast's head.

She noticed cracking on its tail. She needed to reach a lower altitude for Alie, so she dually stabbed the Chimera in the neck again. Alie shattered the ice off with her tail. Using her Chain Stretch, Sheik swung to the monster's ruby-plated tail, and slashed away with her Sovereign Katana. With enough power and strength, it was shattered off. The Chimera slammed Sheik onto the frozen ground. She severely hurt herself again when she plummeted. However, the Chain Dart was enough to bring the tail back into her sight, whereby she could stab the beast's tail twice—one per dagger—and then slash away with her katana. When the Queen Vipevol curse had been rid of, the Twili Interlopers were already surrounding Sheik with katanas of their own. She tossed a Smoke Bomb at the ground, and attempted to avoid their chops and slices. Those that were coughing the most, she got rid of first. When she found an opening, she used her Shuriken, and decapitated the rest of them. The aerial beast above flapped its wings, and created a giant pillar of ice in the middle of the deactivated demons. Before they would awake, Sheik climbed the pillar, and stood at the top. The giant monster flew to her. But rather than giving her access to its vulnerable head, it spun around, and attacked the pillar with its lower half.

Sheik fell down. The shattered pillar blanketed her. The Interlopers greeted her as she got up. Another Smoke Bomb was thrown. Two coughing demons stood at either sides of her. She stabbed them simultaneously in the neck with her daggers. She burns two in front of her with Volcano Magic, and then rolls forward to avoid getting stabbed in the back. Her Shuriken was then rapidly tossed from her right hand. She caught it in her left. When she turned around, most were deactivated. Only two remained. She burned them, walked up to them, and then stabbed them in their necks with her Dual Daggers. The **Cursed Ice Dragon – Stage 3** swooped down. Sheik turned around. The beast grabbed her in one of its claws, and squeezed her. She was then tossed onto the ice, and was trapped inside newly-created formations. The Twili Interlopers awoke. Sheik could see them through the ice, but they could not see her. She used her Dragon Call to signal Alie, who came running to the rescue with acid breath and a tail slice. Sheik got onto Alie's back, and began moving around the arena. As they ran around, Sheik continually used her Sovereign Katana to slash away at Interlopers, as well as take the opportunity to heal up and fill her magic back up with a Blue Potion. She felt extremely weak, after all. The Cursed Ice Dragon did not take a liking to this, and spun around to Alie and Sheik at an incredible rate. The beast wrapped itself inside a frosty tornado. It made its way straight for the heroines. First, Sheik blasted fire, which weakened the icy conditions. Then, she used Tornado Magic to retort the winds. Alie performed some acid weakening and a tail attack. Sheik jabbed the beast in its stomach with her katana. It descended behind them, and crashed onto the icy ground. Red symbols appeared beneath it. The demons rose up from their slumber. More demons arrived from beneath the surface, and all surrounded the dragon. Their bodies _and _the dragon flashed momentarily. Suddenly, the dragons' wings were made of their dual katanas, and the Interlopers themselves were gone. The dragon stood up, and slid on the ice to Alie and Sheik. The dragon breathed and blasted ice from its mouth and claws, respectively. Sheik countered the ice with Volcano Magic, and then got out of the way from the approaching dragon.

Alie spewed acid at some ice on the dragon's back. She charged for the beast, spun around, and shattered a section of ice. She made sure to get close enough so that Sheik could withdraw her Sovereign Katana, and slash away to weaken it. The Cursed Ice Dragon slowed down a little, due to the pain. In such a perfect moment, Sheik created fire from her magical gloves, and immediately stabbed the monster in a lower section of its back, before getting frozen on. The dragon flew up into the sky, with Sheik practically glued to her frozen, inserted katana. When they weren't flying at an angle, and had straightened out, Sheik used her nimbleness to get on top of her weapon, and then used her Chain Stretch to reach the dragon's head. Both her daggers stabbed its neck yet again. Due to such severe pain, and the amount of blood loss in the process of such an arduous battle, the Ice Dragon's curse had been rid of. All of the ice melted off the monster's body, and left only an **Interloper Dragon** behind. With her Chain Stretch again, she returned to her katana, and plucked it from the body of the beast. Nearly plummeting to her death, the dragon decided to rotate upside-down. At the very last minute, she jabbed her blade back in, and held on for dear life. The pain caused the dragon to slightly decrease in altitude, which helped her risk of severity from falling. However, the beast created spheres of dark energy in its claws, which made an all-new risk for her. As her luck would have it, she was assaulted by both, and fell off. If it weren't for Alie, she wouldn't have made it. After adjusting herself accordingly on Alie's back, Sheik took out her Chain Dart, and tossed a dagger at the dragon's neck at the very moment that it turned around. This luckily choked the dragon. Alie and Sheik did their best to reel in the beast, but it was too heavy. Even so, the Interloper Dragon decided to face them. During its oral preparation for a hefty firing of dark magic, Alie sprayed acid down its throat. The excessive disgustingness caused the beast to choke even more. Sheik got onto the dragon's head, and dually stabbed its neck.

The Interloper Dragon descended even further. Sheik retrieved her belongings—avoiding the katana wings—and lured the beast into several formations of ice. In the midst of this, dark magic was blasted at her. She did her best to avoid it all. Some successful, and some not. Nevertheless, Sheik made sure to get the dragon to bash its head on some ice. It needed to be weakened severely, since the Interloper Dragon had always been her greatest challenge. When it had finally crashed, Sheik forward-flipped off its head, turned around, and blasted Volcano Magic at it. The beast roared in anger and pain. Sheik took her chance to use her Chain Dart once more. She tried to get the dragon to be at her altitude, and remain there. But her Dual Daggers weren't enough. Having been in a close enough proximity, Sheik raised her Sovereign Katana into the air, and slashed downward at its head. After several slashes, the dragon eventually blasted a trio of dark magic attacks. It sent her flying backward, and made her hit the frozen wall behind her. The monster landed, and charged straight for her. However, such was what Sheik desired. She used her Chain Stretch to launch herself up onto the beast, who wounded up bashing its head against the wall in tremendous pain. Sheik continually stabbed the Interloper Dragon's neck with her Dual Daggers until red symbols appeared on the ground beneath them, and the dragon flashed red. She eventually had descended to ground level, when the dragon had dissipated and returned to its regular, individual, forty Twili Interloper form. They all surrounded her. She tossed two Smoke Bombs in front of her, and two behind her. Those that were vulnerable, she assaulted gravely with a continued slashing with her katana. Many triumphed against it, but many failed. The circle of Interlopers gradually was made smaller with more and more deactivations. Alie tried to help by spewing acid and attacking with her tail, which helped to some extent. From forty, the numbers decreased to twenty. Sheik was already very weak, and as was Alie. They both had been over-worked. Nevertheless, they still tried their hardest. When the numbers had decreased further, Sheik's last Blue Potion was used up. She made sure to use her magic sparingly. She assumed she would need it against the Demon God himself. When they had all finally fallen, Link's body was thawed by the powers of cursed ice magic. Red symbols appeared along the icy ground, but all the demons were deactivated completely. Instead, **Oni** emerged. He wanted to reacquaint himself with his vessel. But such was not his time. Rather, it was time for the darkness to be purged from Ordon. Sheik charged straight for the humanoid of black smoke. At the very moment that he connected his being into Link's body, she stabbed the Demon God through the torso with her Sovereign Katana. The black smoke escaped, and flew straight behind Link's body, which had been hovering in mid-air. But the smoke was, instead, a sphere, and it spiralled up into the sky; ridding Ordon of snow, ice, and darkness.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link slowly descends to the sparkling water. The heavenly light shines and fills the spring with beauty. Sheik walks up to him, and goes on her knees. She holds his hands, and tilts her head down. _

Sheik – Please, Link. Wake up. The darkness is gone from Ordon, and the Sages have foretold me you would awake here and now.

_Link groans. Sheik slowly looks up, and stares into his awakening eyes. As the seconds pass, a smile eventually appears on his face. Sheik gets up, hugs him, and cries a little. Link brings her face back into view, and assures her that they'll be okay with a nod and a smile. He wipes her tears. She smiles, but is then reminded that Link needs to be brought up to speed on the chaos and ruin in Hyrule. _

_Time passes on._

_Link is just as happy as he is depressed. He is depressed in the sense of all this has happened, but is happy for all of Sheik's efforts. This makes her feel, at least, a little better. They begin to leave the spring. However, her tale is not over just yet. _

Sheik – Link… There's something else I need to tell you.

_Link, who had been walking in front, turns around to look at her._

Sheik – When Oni took control over Hyrule, one of his first acts of cruelty was… Well…

_Link starts getting scared and worried. _

Sheik – Zelda's… passed away!

_Link and Sheik mourn the loss of Princess Zelda inside the Hyrule Thoroughfare. She had been incredibly wounded on her torso. Blood is dried on her body, as well as all around her. Both of them are on their knees with their heads down. Both of them are crying. But when Link looks up, he notices something nearby: a __**Heart Container**__,____his __**Hylian Shield**__, and a note inside the arm holder. The player is given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_He takes the letter, and reads it._

"_Link, make sure Sheik stays safe. What will happen to her will not be pretty. She has always kept it hidden. But the Twili curse will overcome her eventually. And if Oni finds me and kills me, I won't ever get the chance to say goodbye to her. I want you to be careful. And I want you to take this. It's dangerous to go alone. I love you. –Zelda."_

_He takes the shield._

**YOU GOT THE HYLIAN SHIELD!  
**_With one of Hyrule's sacred treasures, you'll be able to defend yourself from enemies, as well as Shield Bash and use the Helm Splitter! This hunk of armour will surely come in handy!_

Sheik – The only thing that will get rid of the demons forever is the Eye of Truth, and it rests beneath a crypt somewhere. Do you know where such a place might be?

_Link gets up, straps his shield to his back, helps Sheik up, and then nods. He takes her out of the sewers._

'_Cooperative play' becomes available after clearing Ordon._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT XIII – Truth**

Home stretch. Link and Sheik arrived at **Hidden Village** – the Kakariko Village of Sheik's time. At the end of the rows of frozen houses, a graveyard stood. Many crypts, of many Sheikah that have passed, rested there. Together, they marched down the road. Along the balconies above, at either sides of them, the Twili Interlopers watched their every move. They did not attack, and they did not speak. They just watched. That seemed to make Link feel a little tougher. As if each of them knew what would ultimately happen. With many red eyes gazing at them, they eventually reached the tombs. A large one stood at the end. A worn out Hyrule Royal Family emblem was displayed on it. They had feeling it would be the correct one to grant them access within. Link took a gaze at the inscriptions, but the words were difficult to read with their age. Sheik strummed _**Zelda's Lullaby**_ on her lyre. The giant tombstone briefly flashed, and then divided in half. Each half lowered onto the ground of snow, and a staircase was revealed in the middle. Link nodded at Sheik, and they walked in. The staircase took them to an elevator platform. Accordingly choosing the destination would bring them to the ultimate room, but it was not so easy. Rather, the elevator shaft began to malfunction. A surge of dark magic filled the **Royal Crypt**, and forced Link and Sheik to extend their stay beneath the ancient Kakariko Village. Arriving on an accessible, but incomplete floor would lock there until the rooms were to be cleared. Upon lowering to the first floor, an intersection of locked doors prevented any access from visiting the first extended regions of the crypt. After grabbing the lever, and pushing it down, the elevator suddenly dropped to the fourth floor. Both doors were available. Link first proceeded through the left one. A large, bare room awaited him. The only things of interest were the few treasure chests and coffins. As soon as he took a few steps forward from beyond the door, all of the coffins opened, and ReDead Knights and Gibdo emerged. Some Bomb Arrows and sword slashes would do the trick. Link opened the chests, earned some money, and then looted the monsters for materials. It felt a little strange to collect things from the dead. But nevertheless, Link returned to the elevator shaft, and entered the other door. He was greeted to a **Twili Interloper Horde**.

Eight demons were ready to fight the returning Hero. They charged straight at Link. He performed a Spin Attack, and deactivated several. One stood in front of him, and was ready to swing their dual katanas at him. He Shield Bashed the Interloper, forward-flipped over top, stabbed the demon in its head, and then sliced its torso in half upon landing; performing a Helm Splitter. By that point, only three remained. Two blasted dark magic at him. He back-flipped, and just barely avoided the attack. He took out his Volcano Rod, and released a tremendous amount of fire at them. They were weakened greatly. Link ran to them, and sliced their torsos in half, one by one. Red Twili symbols glowed on the ground. The demons awoke, and all stood up. The nearest ones were the first to get sliced in half with a Spin Attack. Many of the more distant ones defended themselves, but a few blasted dark magic at Link, to which he retorted with fire. Four of them burned, while the other four dodged, and then attacked Link in unison. He back-flipped, merely slivering his torso, and then used his Tornado Rod to keep them away. The remaining two, who in fact were behind him the whole time, stabbed in the back. After yelling in pain, he quickly performed another Spin Attack, which chopped their heads off. They all awoke after the red symbols appeared on the ground. Link tried to engulf all of them in flames, but only five burned. Link went to attack them with his sword. Four were hit, but three dodged and released spheres of dark energy from their hands. Link defended himself with his Hylian Shield. After such, he assaulted the nearest with a Helm Splitter, and the remaining two with an immediate Spin Attack. The red symbols returned, and they all awoke. Link went to attack some, but they suddenly all disappeared. A larger treasure chest appeared. Opening it revealed a **Boss Key Half**.

Link returned to the elevator shaft, and pulled the lever. He had expected to return to the first floor, but since dark magic powered the entire crypt, he was taken down a floor, to the fifth, instead. When he arrived, doors at the intersection were locked. Since he possessed a key, he thought he might use one. But which to open? Link tried the one to the right. Upon entering, he found himself in a long, elevated room. The room was like a large ramp, with vertical coffins at either side of him. A switch was nearby, an enflamed treasure chest was at the end. Stepping on the switch would temporarily extinguish the flame, as well as open the coffins containing ReDead Knights and Gibdo. They would slow him down, and the timer would run out. However, as he looked up, a series of bars were hanging. Had Sheik decided to take part in the crypt, her route was there, too. Nevertheless, Link stepped on the switch, and all expected – happened. Link sprinted up the ramp, and tried to avoid the mummified monsters. Those that stood in his way, he assaulted with a Bomb Arrow. He was getting low on inventory. He would need to take a break, from progressing through the dungeon, soon. With enough trial and error, he eventually made it successfully, and acquired the key within the chest. Upon returning to the elevator shaft, he pondered whether or not he should finish clearing the floor before departing. His choice was to stay a while. He unlocked the remaining door, and went through. A large, round pool of poisonous water rested at the center of the water. Along the circumference, an equal amount of Cursed Bokoblins and Floormasters roamed. The closest Cursed Bokoblins walked very slowly to Link, and tried to attack him. But he managed to knock them down, and stun them temporarily. He proceeded along one side to the first Floormaster, and slashed away until it was dead. He continued all around the pool until all of the ground-rising hands were finished, and the Cursed Bokoblins were either destroyed with an Ending Blow or a Bomb. When the room was clear, the poisonous water drained, and revealed a treasure chest at the bottom. He jumped down, and collected his key. Afterward, he collected the materials from the dead monsters, and returned to the elevator shaft.

Ultimately deciding to exit the Royal Crypt for a while, in order to do some shopping, Link played the _Requiem of Spirit_ on his Ocarina of Time, and was teleported to the desert. He walked down the spiralling path to the entrance of the Gerudo Shop District, and began endeavouring in his purchases. With a full wallet and many materials, he upgraded his Hero's Bow with emerald crystals to forge the **Emerald Hero's Longbow**; he outright purchased the Boomerang, and provided sapphire crystals along with the necessary materials to forge the **Sapphire Daggerang**; he finally fully acquired the Grappling Hook, and upgraded it, along with ruby crystals, to forge the **Ruby Grappling Hookblade**;he outright purchased the Sand Rod, and had the **Cyclone Rod** be forged; his Silver Gauntlets, with some pyrite from the Lightnuts, evolved to create the **Golden Gauntlets**; he upgraded to the **Biggest Bomb Bag**; he upgraded to the **Largest Quiver**; he made sure to use his two blocks of **Master Ore** to upgrade his ultimate weapon to the **Master Sword Lv.2**. In addition to all this, he filled up all three Empty Bottles with Blue Potion. His entire wallet had been drained. Nothing remained. Just like with all sword upgrades, an entire day needed to pass. It was sunset. So, Link spent his night getting some rest for once. Once he had returned to pick up his upgraded, golden-bladed Master Sword, he played the _Nocturne of Shadow_, and made his way back to the Hidden Village, and back into the Royal Crypt. He jumped all the way down to the fifth floor, pulled the lever, and was taken, unexpectedly, to the third floor. With a key in his possession, he opened the door to his left, and walked through. A Dead Hand greeted him. With each awakening, and each availability to attack, the monster would eventually be defeated. The Dead Hand regurgitated another key for Link under its last breath. He used it on the other door back out along the elevator shaft.

When he arrived, five pillars stood erect in the room. A large one in the center, and four surrounding it. Each of the outer four had an eye switch on it. Using the Hero's Longbow would activate the eyes, but would all simultaneously deactivate if hit in the wrong order. After a few tries, a giant coffin, which Link had been standing on, opened up at the center, and a ramp rose up to the larger pillar at the center. A bunch of mummified creatures were tossed out of their bed as a result. ReDead Knights and Gibdo awoke. A flame appeared around the treasure chest, which rested atop of the middle pillar. The mummies defended their home as best they could. Link slashed away until they were defeated, and then acquired the key within the chest. When all was done in the room, he returned to the elevator shaft, and pulled the lever. The platform, on which he stood, plunged down to the eighth floor of the dungeon. Only one unlocked door awaited Link. He decided to head there first, and then use his key on the locked door after. At the end of the room, a treasure chest rested. He walked to it, and acquired the key within. However, as he walked back toward the door, four grate platforms floated above him in a back-and-forth direction, and a Wallmaster shadow hovered over top him. The hand would drop and rid Link of the key if he weren't careful. If the hand would land atop one of the platforms, he would be safe. Upon succession, he left the room, and used one of his two keys on the other door. A treasure chest was atop a rather tall pillar. A switch stood near it. Hitting the switch would activate the grips on which to climb and grapple, as well as provide Link with a timer. The grips would disappear back into the walls once the time was up. Link hit the switch, and used his Grappling Hookblade to climb up as fast he could. His resilience would eventually lead him to the key within the chest. He returned outside, and pulled the lever on the elevator platform, and was taken to the sixth floor. Link possessed three keys, but only needed two for the moment. He unlocked the one to the left, and entered. He stood at the base of a divided ramp. Between each ramp, pillars stood. And switches rested atop them. But they were out of order. Link needed to use his Daggerang to hit the five switches in a particular order, and cross the closed gaps during the timer, so that he could reach the top of the ramp, and claim his key.

The other door was unlocked. Link went through, and found a Big Baba on a platform in the middle of some poisonous water. Making sure to avoid getting poisoned, Link waited for the monster to lunge its large head toward him, and then attacked rigorously. After multiple rounds, only the Deku Like remained. Link tossed a Bomb in its mouth, and watched it explode. Once it was dead, Link returned to the elevator. He was taken up to the second floor after pulling the lever. When he arrived, he unlocked the door to the left. Barely any ground to stand on. Peahats flew around in various regions. They travelled large gaps, and intersected at one of the ends, before going back. A treasure chest rested atop the final platform in the room. Using his Claw Longshots on the Peahats, Link practically hovered across multiple large chasms. When he eventually arrived, and acquired the key within the treasure chest, a Stalfos suddenly stood on each of the few platforms, between the gaps back to the elevator. On top of that, the Peahats would instead drop Link upon reaching an intersection where the approaching and arriving Peahats met. Because the Stalfos were such vigorous enemies, Link needed to defeat them all before proceeding further. The moment he entered the other room, time started to tick. Link stood at the start of the maze. He needed to reach the middle before time would run out, and lift and destroy several heavy objects that stood in his way to the finish. If he were successful, the treasure chest would be his to open, and acquire the next key. When all was finished, he returned to the elevator, pulled the elevator, and soared down to the seventh floor.

The door to the left was the one he chose to unlock first. When he entered, he was greeted to a long path of sand, with a staircase just next to him. He ran up to the top, and noticed a mid-air platform all the way at the end. A treasure chest rested on it. With his Cyclone Rod, Link created a series of sand pillars, which all stuck together. He ran across until he reached the end, and collected the key inside the chest. However, when he turned back around, the pillars were gone, and quicksand replaced it. He tried using his Cyclone Rod, but it did nothing. He jumped down instead, and was greeted to multiple Moldorm. With the use of his Claw Longshots, the monsters were pulled out of the sand one by one. Link sliced them to death with his Master Sword, while avoiding the quicksand, and eventually returned to the elevator shaft. He unlocked the other door, and went through. He was greeted to yet another Dead Hand, and some Cursed Bokoblins surrounding it. They all slowly walked toward Link, and were ready to attack. But since Link was quicker, he defeated the monsters with ease. The Dead Hand gave Link the key with vomit. Returning to the elevator platform, Link pulled the lever, and was finally taken back up to the first floor. He unlocked the door to the right, and found yet another Big Baba to assault and implode. It took patience, but the monster was eventually rid of. On the other side of the elevator shaft was the last door of the Royal Crypt's main portion. And within, the same **Twili Interloper Horde** appeared. They were ready to attack. Link ran straight for the first one to his left, with his shield in front of him. He performed a Helm Splitter on the demon, all while avoid a few blasts of dark magic. When he landed, he did a Spin Attack, and deactivated a few more. After he had spun around, he had immediately been hit by a sphere of dark energy. The Interloper in front of him blasted a gust of wind at Link. He jumped back as a result. Three Interlopers charged toward him, each with their dual katanas in hand. Link used a Helm Splitter attack on the nearest one, which was followed by a Spin Attack. Only one Twili Interloper remained. The demon stabbed Link as soon as he was done spinning. Link defended himself, and then Shield Bashed the Interloper. While stunned, Link attacked back, and waited for them all to awake. Once that happened, he made sure to be standing at the center of the action.

He performed yet another Spin Attack, and eliminated nearly half of the group. Before getting attacked himself, he threw his Daggerang at some of the demons. A couple dodged, but it removed the amount of danger to three Twili Interlopers. One kept him away with wind. Another assaulted him with dark magic. The third ran to him, and attacked directly. With a Helm Splitter, one was removed, and only two remained. Both of them blasted spheres of dark energy at Link. Both were sent back with a Shield Bash, but did nothing. Link tried his Daggerang again. One dodged, while the other was hit. Link sprinted, and performed a final Helm Splitter. Red symbols appeared on the ground again, and they all awoke. Link started off with his Volcano Rod, which many were immediately burned by. He tossed his Daggerang right after, and got rid of two. The remaining two blasted dark magic at Link, who ultimately got hit by it. He used his Claw Longshots to reel both in, and then slashed away at the demons. They fell to the ground, and red symbols appeared shortly thereafter. The eight demons rose above ground level, and floated in mid-air. A light flashed, and they had suddenly become a **Baby Interloper Dragon**, which dropped back onto the ground, since it could not fly yet. Link, facing the dragon, launched himself onto its head, and hammered his Master Sword into its skull until its little set of katana wings squeezed and cut him off. Link stood up, and attacked with fire. The beast jumped up and roared! Link quickly used his Daggerang at its stomach, and then ran to its head once more to slash away. Dark magic blasted out of its mouth, and Link went flying backward. He got back up, and retorted with flames. The dragon flashed, and the eight Twili Interlopers were back to normal. They all had formed a circle, but it didn't last long, since they all attacked Link in various ways. With the Volcano Rod, some Spin Attacks, Helm Splitters, and Shield Bashes, the Interlopers eventually had enough, and disappeared to square, black particles.

_A cutscene ensues._

_With the other __**Boss Key Half**__ in his possession, Link returns to the elevator shaft, and pulls the lever. He and Sheik are plunged down to the ninth and final floor of the Royal Crypt. Link uses the key, as a whole, to unlock the door in front of them. They walk through. A giant, dark room gradually brightens. All of the walls light up and look ancient, as if from something in the future. But rather the exact opposite. Every tomb of the Sheikah and the Royal Family rest here, and at the farthest—resting in the hands of a five-hundred year old Impa—is where the __**Eye of Truth**__ lays. They walk to it. Link gently takes it, and holds it with both hands in front of him. He slowly spins around, and Oni is awaiting him as black smoke. But the Eye reacts with his body, and somehow—with many lightning flashes, thunder, and a strong gust of wind—transforms into the size of a giant god, and is embodied as his true self. He laughs maniacally, and takes out his Double-Helix Blade, which he must hold with both hands._

"_FIERCE DEITY: __**ONI**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

Link remained locked onto the Demon God. He walked around with his Master Sword out, but tried to avoid getting chopped to bits by Oni's giant sword. He first attempted using his Volcano Rod at his large legs, which weakened him somewhat. Oni raised his Double-Helix Blade high in the air, and created a large surge of dark magic, and launched at Link. They swung the large beam of dark energy back-and-forth until Oni was hit. Link used his Claw Longshots to get onto his head, and performed a giant Helm Splitter, which followed with a Spin Attack on Oni's legs. He next used his Blizzard Rod at the Demon God's legs. Only his shins froze. Oni swung his sword around. Link rolled forward to get close to the frozen shins, and then did another Spin Attack. Oni slowly fell onto his knees, and then blasted two spheres of dark energy from his hands. Both launched simultaneously. Link tried his absolute best to return them both in an arduous back-and-forth game of tennis. It took a while, but he eventually succeeded. Oni plunged his sword into the ground, and grabbed Link. He raised the Hero up-close into his sight. He created dark magic within, which hurt Link quite a bit. With enough squirming, his sword hand broke free, and he jabbed Oni in the eye. Link had been dropped back down. With his Hero's Longbow, he pierced Oni's other eye. The Demon God lunged his hands downward to squish Link, but he managed to avoid it, and climbed up his arm to his upper back. Multiple Spin Attacks were made to Oni's head, who went to grab Link off. Having missed the grab, Link performed yet another Helm Splitter. But when he landed, Oni had already prepared a giant blast of dark energy from his mouth. This damaged Link immensely. He, too, was on his knees. With fists, the Demon God went to crush Link, but he quickly got up, and rolled out of the way. He managed to freeze Oni's fingers, and then shattered them with a Spin Attack. The Demon God raised his hands in the air, and shook them in pain, while his blood dripped all over the floor. With dark magic in the palm of his hand, he made his blade rise up from the ground. He turned it over, and swung at Link, who got hit. The Hero stabbed the deity in his blade-powering hand, and yanked it in – all with his Grappling Hookblade. The Double-Helix Blade had been dropped, while the hand came forward. Link froze it, and then destroyed it with his Master Sword. Oni's other hand went to magically bring his giant blade back into use. If Link were quick enough, he'd be able to destroy that hand not too long after the first. Once both were down, Oni created yet another large blast of dark energy within his mouth. It had been too large to deliver back, so the Tornado Rod was used instead. The Demon God swallowed his own dark magic. Link used his Claw Longshots, and performed a final Helm Splitter. Oni fell flat on the ground, and turned completely black.

The darkness rose up into mid-air, and transformed into a **Mega Interloper Dragon**. The Double-Helix Blade had been split in half, and used by the dragon as Twin Helix Katanas. As an opening attack, the beast fired powerful blasts of dark magic from the katanas at Link. They swung the dark magic back-and-forth until the dragon was hit. Link launched himself onto the monster's head, and hammered his Master Sword into its skull, while flying around. After the dragon had had enough, it swiped its tail across. Link tried avoiding it, but he'd land on the ground nevertheless. The beast doubly swiped its blades at him, but he back-flipped to dodge. In an attempt to weaken the dragon, Link froze its wrists with his Blizzard Rod. The monster clashed wrists to shatter the ice, but it had been such a frostbiting cold that wielding things in its claws were impossible. Link picked up one of the katanas, and horizontally sliced the dragon's legs in half, once it was in a close proximity. It crashed, and slid on the ground; bashing its head in against the wall. With a giant vertical chop, Link disconnected the upper half of the monster's neck. He tried again, but that was expected. As such, dark magic surged through the dragon's entire body, and caused Link to be sent flying backward once the blade made contact with the beast, all while protecting it. Link tried his Claw Longshots to get on top, but that had been expected, too. Link had been swiped off with the dragon's tail. Spheres of dark energy were created in its claws. They were launched at Link, who swung the spheres back. The dragon used dark magic to force them a launch back to Link. The spheres went back-and-forth until the beast had eventually lost complete use of its claws. During the pain, Link launched onto its head, and slashed away until the monster was decapitated. At which point, the carcass exploded into a **Twili Interloper Horde** of 80.

With the Eye of Truth finally in his possession, Link commenced his own tutorial, and pointed the lens at as many demons as possible. Those that were caught had turned gray, and then shattered to dust. However, using the Eye would deplete Link's magic eventually. Thus, he needed to be cautious as to how often it should be used, and how often he should be attacking. But Link had already killed ten. The rest he deactivated in various different ways. Be it the Spin Attack; Helm Splitter; with fire; with ice; with sand; with wind – any application that went to his advantage without failure. And despite that the demons had weakened him with their katanas and their dark magic—though it gave him the opportunity to drink one of his Blue Potions if he so needed—he eventually deactivated fifty-nine of seventy-five. Because he knew the red symbols would appear after the thirtieth would be on the ground as well, he instead killed the rest as they lay on the ground with the Eye, and _then_ the seventy-fifth. This would result with the ashes of the Twili Interlopers all resting in the final home of the Sheikah. But it was not the end. A large, round purple portal filled the majority of the room. **Oni** rose, and had been completely healed. He used dark magic to re-forge his Double-Helix Blade, and laughed maniacally while doing so. Link knew that the deity was fierce, but yet he continued to possess the courage within himself to continue, and not to give up. He held his Master Sword in one hand, and his Hylian Shield in the other. And he prepped himself for another round. The Demon God smirked, and raised his blade in the air. Dark magic was created within, and a large blast was sent to Link, for them to send back-and-forth until one would falter. This continued again and again until Oni was finally hit. Link used his Claw Longshots to perform one giant Helm Splitter, and follow it up with a Spin Attack to his legs. The Demon God swung around, and made one of his own. Link used his Tornado Rod to rise above, and then his Volcano Rod at Oni. He tried to defend himself with his Double-Helix Blade. In the midst of it, Link used his Blizzard Rod at the deity's wrists, and then wrapped his Grappling Hookblade around to reel him in. But Oni kicked Link the moment before he would fall. Rather, Link fell. And as he got back up, the Demon God had already blasted dark magic at him from his Blade. They sent it back-and-forth until Oni's wrists were free. Dark magic erupted from his mouth, where it ultimately continued and ended.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link swings his Master Sword one final time at Oni. The dark magic, which they had been tossing back-and-forth, severely damages the Demon God. Link is exhausted. He is nearly done for. But not Oni. After screaming and growling in pain, he stares at the Hero. _

Oni – I've meddled with you long enough! I've made you so weak and frail! _This_ is why the mortals always falter. You possess the ability to die!

_Link takes out the Eye of Truth, and points the lens at his face. He falls on his knees, and begins laughing sinisterly. Link expects him to crumble to ash, but he does not. Rather, some sort of force brings him back into the portal, where he taken elsewhere. The portal forms into a smaller and smaller circle until it disappears. A __**Heart Container **__rests in its place. The player is given control._

**YOU GOT A HEART CONTAINER!  
**_Your life gauge has been increased by one full heart!_

_A cutscene ensues._

_As Link and Sheik return to the elevator shaft of the Royal Crypt, they get zapped and teleported elsewhere._

_Blackout._

_Square, black particles shimmer down from the Twilight sky, and Oni emerges within the courtyard of the palace. The ground shakes and crumbles. Red symbols divide the ground from where they appear; thus creating intriguing designs. Oni gets away as fast as he can. Noticing how much had changed, in terms of the structures, he realizes that he is still in Link's time. And while he is distracted, a giant, disgusting goddess crawls up from under the earth, and stands in front of Oni. Majora has arrived._

_Fade to black._

_Link and Sheik arrive in the Mirror Chamber. The Sages appear as digital failures, and speak to them._

Sage of Light – The palace is inaccessible in your time, Hero, but we can help… with what little we have left.

_All five Sages hover around the particle-filled ground, and assist in putting the mirror back together, in congruence with their ancient, colourful Sage magic. _

Sage of Light – The gods will be going at it for a long time. So, do what you must before embarking for your journey's end.

_Link points the Eye of Truth at the Sages, and watches them transform—despite their deathly ailment—into their former entities. They then truly fade away forever._

_**Would you like to save?  
Yes  
No**_

_**Now saving your game. Please, do not press the POWER button.**_

**ACT XIV – Differences and Fate**

With only so little left to go, Link made his final preparations for the denouement. Depending on his situation, pouches might have been re-stocked; potions, hearts, and the Magic Meter might have been re-filled; remaining Pieces of Heart might have been collected; side-quests and collectibles might have been all taken care of. When he was done in Hyrule—when he accomplished everything he felt he needed to—he entered the Twilight Realm of his time, and began the final stage of his adventure. As such, the first objective was to find Midna, the Twilight Princess, and ask for her assistance in ridding their realms of the gods. They needed to go; they were ruining both their prosperities. In order to do such a thing, Link needed to find Midna. And he had a hunch she would be in her chamber. Because of this, he used his Grappling Hookblade to get himself up on the rooftops, and travel to her bedroom. However, the Twili Interlopers stood in his way. They continued to roam the Palace of Twilight. Despite how far apart all of them had been, if all were to be deactivated, they would still awake from their positions. It was up to Link to decide what to do with them on his way to Midna. Whatever the case, those in his way had fallen. Though, they fell in many different ways. Some brutally; others cleanly. Continuing from roof to roof to roof, and taking care of the demons in his path, Link eventually arrived at his destination. Midna stood in the opposite direction. She watched the chaos from her bedroom window.

_A cutscene ensues. _

_Midna turns around, and sees Link and Sheik. In shock to see her Hero and friend, she smiles with a couple tears dripping down her face. She gives him a big hug. Link holds her shoulders, and nods and smiles._

Midna – Did you think I'd just stand here, and do nothing?

_Pause._

Midna – Stand back.

_Surprised and curious, Link and Sheik both nod and step back. The Fused Shadows float around her, and then merge with her to bring about her bestial form. She gets out her trident, and runs out of her chamber. Link and Sheik watch momentarily, and then follow. The player is then given control. _

__Heading back the way he arrived, Link made his way back along the rooftops. The Twili Interlopers that he did not kill still roamed. He took care of them however he could. As he thought about it more, he grew fascinated in how much his interactions with the Interlopers had evolved. Just one of them used to be a boss fight. Fighting a single Interloper had become extremely easy, to the point that he had been fighting hordes of them across the adventure. But the demonic nonsense would soon be over. Retaining the words Oni had said in the Cave of Ordeals, he knew someone's demise would come. It was just a matter of time. What intrigued him was that the Goddess of the Shadows had waited such a long time to reveal herself. Why so late in the adventure? Why not earlier? Then again, it wasn't his dilemma to personally deal with Majora. She was Oni's problem, and Oni was hers. But he wanted to end the darkness and the chaos. The damage that had been done to their realms was unfathomable, and deserved penitence. With all the violence and destruction, there needed to be an end to all of it. Link was prepared to deliver that ending. He finally arrived at the courtyard. What he expected was a war, but what he witnessed was an argument. They debated their similar, but different, philosophies.

_A cutscene ensues._

Oni – What is it, Majora? Why are you here? Why now?

Majora – The Hero awakened me with the possession of the artifact. I've been watching your games for a while. And I'm not too pleased with what you've been doing.

Oni – Like, what?

Majora – You've murdered so many goddamn people! You've destroyed homes in every region of Hyrule! What kind of madman are you?!

Oni – Is this not what we do – to claim land ours?

Majora – We have never set out to do so in such a manner before!

Oni – No?

Majora – No. Do you remember how our war went, at the beginning of Hyrule's proper civilization? Despite a peaceful land, we sought to find any means to acquire the sacred triangles. Yes, we ruined their peace, but we not ruin them under blank circumstances! If they fought, we fought back. And yet, we still didn't acquire the Triforce.

Oni – I did! And I wished upon it!

Majora – I know you did! And I'm proud of your accomplishment in that! But I'm not proud about the way you've treated these lands! It's been so long since you made your wish! Why did you not just leave after?!

Oni – Hyrule had no hope left. It was the perfect opportunity to expand our home!

Majora – I realize that, but you were foolish and aggressive about it.

Oni – I saw the opportunity,_ and I took it!_

Majora – But you did it recklessly, and without warning! You went after it immediately!

Oni – Oh, and what would you have done, Majora?

Majora – I would've seen what was weak, and claimed it. And one by one, eventually acquire it all. But you went for all of it with the snap of a finger. We have an armada of demons, and for a moment in Snowpeak… you turned against them! Told them to _fuck off_, for all I know!

Oni – I can't stand this blabber! If you've come to take me home, then do it already.

Majora – I'm not here to take you home, Oni. The Twilight Realm had long been decided to be our new home. And I know you know that. As per my request, you correctly placed a portal in the chamber of the past. Such was our manner of easily accessing Hyrule. But you wanted it _all!_

Oni – Wanted?

Majora – I'm killing you in the very realm that started our ruin as gods of demons and shadows.

Oni – Not if I kill you first.

Midna – Is it alright if we help out?

_Oni and Majora look up on the rooftop behind the Demon God's head. Link, Sheik, and transformed Midna are up there. Oni is infuriated._

Oni – You! You're the one!

Midna – What are you talking about?

Oni – I asked—nay, I demanded—the Sages to tell me the location of the Fused Shadows, once I realized my demons did not possess it. But they did not say. I'm surprised your ancestor held onto it for so long, despite her tragic fate!

Midna – This ancient magic is a part of our people now. Yours are about to go extinct.

_She jumps down with her trident aimed for Oni. He manages to dodge, but Majora successfully attacks after. Midna pierces her weapon into the ground, and goes to pull it out._

Majora – Looks like us four have something in common: we all want Oni dead!

Sheik – We want you dead, too.

_She uses her Chain Dart at Majora's neck. She yanks the chain to reel Majora in. Oni laughs._

Sheik – What are you laughing about now?

Oni – I find it funny how I killed so many of your people, yet you three are still alive to take part in a battle between gods! Why bother meddling?

Sheik – To make you see how much suffering you've given us over your thousand years of being alive, and that it's finally time for the both of you to go. The demons need to leave. Forever.

"_UNDERWORLD GODS: __**ONI AND MAJORA**__"_

_The player is given control upon disappearance of text._

The battle felt as though it raged on forever. Time continued to pass, but the sky did not. The Twilight Realm's sky was frozen in its hour. Hence the name. Blades continued to clash and pierce. Flames continued to burn. Ice continued to freeze. The Eye would be used on the additional backup from Oni. As distractions, a **Twili Interloper Horde** served their duties well. But despite all the vigorous fighting, everyone gradually weakened with the progression of time. Oni and Majora continued to argue during the battle. Though they both found similarities in achieving their similar goals, the way to go about achieving them was different for one from the other. Each had their own opinions, ideas, and philosophies. But from the heroic trio's perspective cared. They saw prosperity in a way completely different from the gods. It was time for their philosophies and such to end and rot with their corpses. Despite Oni's mannerisms, Majora had found a new, barren home in Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. Oni felt the same way. Neither of them exclaimed this, because neither of them had ever gotten along. Majora was calm and collected. She went with the flow, and accomplished goals as it happened. She was rational; she had her plans laid out. She spoke as a leader, but wasn't too commanding. Oni was focused; determined; passionate. He accomplished goals under the commands of others to make himself look good. But both of them – evil.

Despite the thoughts going on within everyone's minds, they had all agreed that death was a proper goodbye. It was a matter of being strong and willing to achieve the succession to do so. Everybody had different reasons for wanting each other dead. What mattered was focusing on the task at hand, and not spacing out in thought. The trio, Oni, and Majora were all determined to win in their own right. Time passed on. Weariness grew, but Link had the means to aid himself. The gods were amazingly powerful. Without Midna's help under the magic of the Fused Shadows, Link and Sheik would never succeed. Not even slightly. And even so, the two gods battled with blades; with the shadows and demons, respectively; with dark magic – any means to obliterate the trio, and leave the battle to the gods themselves. Yet, as much damage as they had been doing to themselves, the heroes wanted to be certain that both of them would be on their knees in the end; weak and on their last breath. The heroes pondered every application possible. Bomb Arrows and Shuriken Bombs were launched; Midna destroyed ligaments with her trident; various magic was blasted; sword and katana chopped and sliced; spheres of dark energy—be it in large or small quantities—were swung back-and-forth. Everybody had different tactic probabilities calculating in their minds. Not everybody fought the same. Yet they all tried their hardest to be each their own winner. In addition, the Eye of Truth made the Twili Interlopers even easier. However, many fought to avoid death, and the heroes had fought back as a result. Just as before, Link would turn them all to ash with the Eye, once only one was standing. But under the impression that a decreased armada size would do anything, both gods thought Link pitiful. They summoned even more. Under Oni's creation, an **Interloper Dragon** was created, and a **Shadow Dragon** under Majora's.

_An interactive cutscene ensues._

_Link remains in his defense mode, with his Hylian Shield protecting him, and his Master Sword held skyward. The Interloper Dragon tosses his shield off in the distance with a claw swipe, and then goes to attack. Midna, who is engaged in a slashing assault against Majora, quickly comes to Link's rescue before he would be immensely injured. The Shadow Dragon then goes to attack Midna. But in the nick of time, before the trio of heroes would be weakened even further, Link's shield is thrown back to him. He defends himself once more, and then briefly looks to the side. The Resistance arrives to aid the heroes in battle. Auru uses his Bomb Launcher at the Interloper Dragon, while Shad and Telma brings the Shadow Dragon to light with his magic and her Arrows. Rusl and Ashei join the trio in battling the gods, who have continued to battle each other nonetheless._

_The player is given control. _

In spite of that, Link came to the realization that he had awakened some sort of trap by taking the artifact. By ridding the Royal Crypt of it, and putting it in his hands, was Oni's trickery into granting him access to his sealed outfit – to become known by his other subtitle, _"Fierce Deity"_. In addition, taking the Eye of Truth also awakened Majora's arrival to these lands. Because of this dilemma, and because he had his mind made useless, and replaced with another, he felt it was his primarily his duty to protect and save these lands. But he was thankful and joyous that he had assistance, to whom he spread his courage. Midna was more than willing to help in the battle, and even more so with Fused Shadows. A rather long time had passed since they had first acquired the magic from the three temples. And since then, she has harnessed its power, and learned to control it. Even so, she's allowed the magic to have a little of control over her, in certain situations like this, to bring about her more aggressive side to deliver pain and suffering to those deserving. In addition, The Resistance had long banded with Link, too. They were eager to help and return prosperity. And Sheik? Well, Link wouldn't even be there without her.

The ultimate battle had seemingly continued forever. The additional warriors helped significantly. Yet, as the time continued to pass, Oni and Majora were both still capable of fighting. They had weakened, sure, but they were still strong enough to swing their Double-Helix Blade and Dual Shadow Katanas, respectively, and blast their magic variants. No matter how much the people had weakened, they still tried their hardest to finally get the gods dead once and for all. Demons and shadow creatures continued to be taken care of by Shad, Telma, and Auru, with Link's help from the Eye. Midna focused on bringing the gods down to their knees. She bashed their heads in; she destroyed parts of their body – anything to give them the pain to make them suffer. Rusl and Ashei assaulted the gods from the courtyards, with their respective blades, while Link and Sheik assaulted the gods from the rooftops. The latter two used multiple different weapons and magic to weaken the gods. Additionally, they also played tennis with Oni's dark magic, and performed their different means of weakening. Link used the Helm Splitter and Spin Attacks primarily, while Sheik primarily used daggers and chain. However, they both used the rest of their inventory as best they could, and wherever they saw fit. Rusl and Ashei, much like Link and Sheik, focused each on a god. Midna took care of both, since she possessed the power to do so. The others only attacked the gods during a time when additional monsters were not moving around, and were either dead or just not there at all.

Midna had finally been given the opportunity to as a demon of her own. She let the ancient magic perform her final task. Her trident pierced through Oni's neck, and then through Majora's. All in one clean stab. She held them in place with the demonic hands provided by such magic. Rusl and Ashei jabbed them in their giant legs. Shad used fire to Oni, and ice to Majora. Telma revoked the gods of vision with Arrows. Link used his Claw Longshots to reach above Oni, perform another Helm Splitter, and follow it up with a Spin Attack. He then used his Grappling Hookblade on Oni's neck to hold him in place. Sheik performed similarly, with her Chain Stretch and Chain Dart attacks. Auru stood still on the rooftops, with his Bomb Launcher pointed at Oni. If somehow Majora were to fail in killing Oni, the band of heroes would certainly weaken him to the closest thing to death that the mortals could provide. Despite that everyone had been prepared for the end, the gods' hands were free. They could still create dark magic and shadow magic, respectively. And they could still swing their blades, and kill the mortals themselves. But for some odd reason, they stuck to magic for the mortals, and blades for each other; the gods.

Shad tried to defend any wizardry erupting from the gods' hands with his own wizardry. He tried freezing their wrists, which remained gripped to their respective weapons. Link and Sheik wanted to help. They retrieved their weapons from the gods' necks. Immediately, they both surged their respective magic in their blades, and launched it at Link and Sheik. Both magic had been sent back-and-forth until the gods' grips were weakened. Link used his Claw Longshots, and did yet another giant Helm Splitter at Oni. However, instead of landing on the other side, he remained on the Demon God's neck, and walked over to the middle of the pierced trident. He performed as large a Spin Attack as he could muster to both gods. Together with Shad, Telma shot more of her powerful Arrows at locations he had been targeting. Auru helped out. Rusl and Ashei had switched to the horde fighters. Sheik used her ninja abilities and tactics to assist the blade warriors. Auru kept a close eye on everything and everyone with his Bomb Launcher. He was prepared for any approaching assault – be it more Twili Interlopers or another round of underworld dragons. In the end, with enough determination and strength, the gods were made weak, and the people made weaker. With time and effort, inventories had been withered; the use of magic had dried; only the weapons that killed remained. The mortals left fate to the gods.

_A cutscene ensues._

_A weakened team of mortals—Link, Sheik, Midna, and The Resistance—huddle together on the ledge of the rooftops atop the courtyard. They watch the finale of the war between gods and realms. Oni and Majora continue to clash and slash at each other. And as they do, they continue to argue. They know one of them is about to die, and they are moments away from finding out who. _

Oni – I'm so happy this is finally the end of our fights and wars! I'm glad to finally kill you!

Majora – You and I have been fighting for eons! _I'm_ glad to finally kill _you_!

Oni – And you know what? This past while has been the greatest time of my life! It's been so peaceful!

Majora – Peaceful?! _Peaceful?!_ _You call this "peaceful"?! This is chaos! You could've claimed this land more rationally!_

Oni – It doesn't matter any longer! You're going to die anyway!

Majora – Not if I stop you first!

Oni – Hyrule will be mine if I succeed!

Majora – No more demons! No more destruction! You're a god! You're a leader! You're supposed to act like one!

Oni – If you saw everything wrong for so long, why didn't you show yourself earlier?!

Majora – I couldn't!

Oni – Why not?

Majora – You trapped me, remember? With our precious artifact that we passed onto our descendants?!

Oni – Our descendants are extinct! Those remaining that I've found… I've transformed them into something stronger! Look at the Twilight Princess! Look at what will become of the last Sheikah! Our descendants are ancient now! The demons are the first to have evolved—

Majora – And they're about to be extinct, too! With you dead, the demons will exist no more!

Oni – Oh, right! Because of that precious artifact!

Majora – Not just because of that! But because you won't be alive to summon any more, you idiot!

Oni – Idiot?! You're calling me _"idiot"_ now?!

Majora – Oh, stop acting like a child!

Oni – Childish?! You're my equal! You're not my protector! I'm eons old! I can do whatever the hell I want!

Majora – Oh, wow. You sound like a big grown up! I'm sick and tired of you, Oni!

Oni – Me? You're sick and tired of _me_?! I'm sick and tired of _you_!

_Oni stabs Majora through the torso._

Oni – So long, Majora. Looks like your tale, as Goddess of the Shadows, has come to an end!

_Majora stabs Oni through the torso. They both speak with their dying breaths._

Majora – No… Looks like it's the end… for us.

Oni – We grew up… together. We played… together.

Majora – Our entire lives together… gone. I guess… neither of us won… that bet.

Oni – Which?

Majora – The bet about… who is stronger… and more evil.

Oni – Oh, right. We call it… a draw?

Majora – Yeah. …So, what was… your wish?

Oni – To make those… who oppose me… suffer.

Majora – Everyone… suffered. So, good… job.

Oni – Thanks. …Goodbye, big sis.

Majora – Goodbye, little bro.

_Sheik tells Link to use the Eye of Truth one last time._

Sheik – Now!

_Link nods, and then points the Eye at the gods. The player is given control during this brief period. After the player has interacted, the cutscene continues. The bodies of the gods crumble to dust and ash, just like the Interlopers. But unlike the demonic minions' remains, they hover in mid-air. Upon closer inspection to the Eye, its power fades away. Link's Master Sword shakes. He pulls it out of its sheath, and holds it skyward. The gods' remains go to his sword, and then circle around it. Energy surges up from the hilt to the tip of the blade, and then shoots up into the sky. A blue light suddenly flashes throughout the entire Twilight Realm from the rooftops. When the light fades away, the remains of the gods have merged with the Master Sword. A voice from within – confirms the completion of the adventure._

Fi – The underworld deities have been eradicated. The demons – annihilated. The last of your people have received your prosperity. Thank you… Link.

_He looks at his sword with surprise and shock, while The Resistance cheers for joy in the distance, and Midna and Sheik are nowhere to be found. It seemed like this "Fi" character could only be heard by Link himself. Nevertheless, he walks along the rooftops; passing through the cheering warriors, who pat him on the back with smiles on their faces. He's happy as well, but he's more so curious about the location of Midna and Sheik. He hops of the rooftops, and sees a light coming from Midna's chamber. He walks there. When he arrives, he sees Sheik laying on the floor, and Midna next to her. They are retaining eye contact. Sheik's entire body glows blue symbols. But they fade away when Link enters the room. Sheik turns her head to see him at the door. She speaks to him._

Sheik – Link? Come here. I need to tell you something.

_He walks closer, and goes on his knees._

Sheik – I can already feel my extinction at work. My life has aided many people. And I'd like to thank you for helping me forget about the one I lost, and helping me to move on.

_She raises her hand. Link holds it._

Sheik – I never imagined I'd meet an ancestor of someone I cared so much for. You certainly are a wonderful successor to the Hero of Time. I have two final requests before I die.

_Link nods._

Sheik – First, take me to my home with the other Sheikah, and let me hold onto the artifact. I will keep it safe. It no longer possesses power. But it will, if and when your successor needs it. I will rest with my ancestors of the Hyrule Royal Family and the Sheikah. That is where I will find peace at last.

Midna – What's your other request?

Sheik – Do not leave this realm behind. The Royal Family has been abolished in ours, but not here. I see a princess worthy of the name; I see a prince who will defend her, his people, and his land above all else; I see a group of heroes—friends of this new Royal Family—who can help in defending. Make this your new kingdom. The Twilight Realm and Hyrule – as one.

_Link nods and smiles._

Midna – Thank you for helping Link find his mind and his body. Thank you for letting me see him again. I'd say you're quite the hero, too!

Sheik – I couldn't risk letting another Link become lost. I couldn't bring my Link home, but at least in his time—in your time—you have a future. My story… will now be coming to an end, it seems.

_Fade to black._

_The player is given control. _

Link picked Sheik up off the ground, and carried her out of Midna's bedroom chamber. He brought her out onto the rooftops, and passed by a shocked band of heroes. The Resistance had been unaware of Sheik's condition. With the amount of time she had spent within the Twilight Realm; with the amount that she had encountered and fought the demons _and _Oni; with the almighty power of the Demon God's wish on the Triforce – fate seemed to work in a mysterious way. Nevertheless, Link carried Sheik safely off the rooftops, beyond the Palace of Twilight, and over to the portal to Hyrule. They went through, and returned to the Mirror Chamber. Upon their arrival, Link played the _Nocturne of Shadow_ on his Ocarina of Time—the ocarina that Sheik had given him—where they arrived at the Bridge of Eldin. For a moment, he put Sheik down, and he searched his pockets for the Dragon Call. Alie came running. She, too, was surprised at Sheik's condition. Link sat her on Alie's back, and he sat in front. They galloped into the Hidden Village, where the Royal Crypt rested. They slowed down a bit as they arrived. They were at their destination. As Link looked around, the demons were gone. He noticed the wind faintly blowing, and the sky was clear and bright. The efforts, that he and Sheik made, seemed to be worthwhile after all. They stopped at the end of the road, and Link dismounted.

_A cutscene ensues._

_Link climbs down from Alie. He pets her and nods; telling her that he'd be a while. She licks him. Link briefly smiles, and then pets her again. He slides his hand over to where Sheik is. Her symbols glow again. Her body starts flashing a little. He looks up at her face, but he sees someone else – Impaz. For a moment, he gets shocked and surprised. But then he calms down, and helps her down. For the first time in a while, her eyes open. Link and Impaz stare at each other, when she finally speaks her last words._

Impaz – Tell me… Link. Is it true that… you met him? The Hero… of Time?

_Link smiles and nods. She hugs him. _

Impaz – Did he… ever say anything about me?

_Link rests his head on hers. _

_Pause._

Link – He loved you with all his heart.

_Impaz looks at him and smiles. After a while, her smile fades, and she just remains there in his arms. Link closes her eyes, and lifts her up. He takes her down the staircase to the crypt, and heads down the elevator shaft to the room of the Sheikah and the Royal Family. He finds a spot for her to rest in. He lays in her in there. He takes a step back, puts his head down, and closes his eyes. But in the midst of his thankful thoughts, he hears someone walk toward him from behind. He turns around, and sees the Hero's Shade. He walks up to Link, and puts his arm on Link's shoulder. They both nod their heads. Link lets him pass by. He goes on his knees, and leans his head against Impaz's. He cries, under regret for not coming home. But then, he raises his head in realization._

Hero's Shade – You have it, yes? The artifact?

_Link nods. The Hero's Shade gets into the large coffin with Impaz. Link is surprised about this. But nevertheless, he understands. He takes out the Eye of Truth, and finds a brief amount of power returning. He points it at them. A light flashes. It fades away after a while. Laying before him are Princess Zelda and Hero of Time. The people they once were, such a long time ago. Link places the Eye on top of them, and then returns to the elevator. He heads up, and back to the Hidden Village._

_Fade to black._

_Link reaches the top. He turns around, and heads out of the crypt. He returns to the Hidden Village, and begins walking down the road. Strangely, Alie is not there. He continues walking. Something or someone approaches from the entrance. They walk slowly into the village. Link notices them, but can't quite make it out. Epona starts walking up the road. She is injured from all the chaos that Oni had bestowed upon Hyrule. Link realizes that it's Epona he sees, and gradually walks faster. Eventually, he starts jogging, and then running, and then finally – he hugs her tight. From his inventory, he pulls out a bottle of Red Potion, and slowly pours it down her throat, and then smiles. He hugs her again._

FIN

2


End file.
